Dirty Little Secret
by X-LonelyGirl-X
Summary: AU Liley. Party? Check. Cheating boyfriends? Double check. Two girls getting wasted together? Check. That's all that's needed to plunge a skater and cheerleader into something they never expected. Rated M for language and femslash. Don't like don't read.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated my other fics in so long but school's pretty full on atm and I'm actually ill atm so yeah.... I haven't been to school today due to my dying condition (_slight exageration_) and I finally managed to have enough brain function to write a little something. I recently got Kesha's album Animal (_if you don't have it, you should_) and I have to say I'm rather obsessed. So it was late and I was listening to her album (_on repeat_) and I got an idea for a new fic. Hope you like it, if not then tell me to stop :) Enjoy x**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus, Emily Osment, Kesha or any affillations... If I did, d'ya really think I'd be on here? **

**Chapter One: **Party at a Rich Dude's House

"Come on Lils, please,"

"Oliver, I already said I don't feel up to it," I told him as he came over to sit beside me on the bed.

"Lilly, you haven't left the house for weeks now, except for school. You need to get over him – he was a dick anyway. A party's just what you need to clear your head,"

"_Clear my head?_ By getting blind drunk? Yeah that'll give me some real clarity, Oliver,"

"You don't _have_ to get drunk Lilly, just have a good time… maybe even a little harmless flirting to show Lucas how stupid he was. Come on Lils, I hate seeing you like this,"

"Okay fine. But only to shut you up," I reluctantly agreed and got to my feet. Oliver stood too; clearly satisfied he'd managed to win a fight with me.

"Hey, I don't care about the reason – I just want you to stop being a morbid bitch," he grinned which quickly turned into a grimace as I punched his arm. "Hey, that's no way to treat your best friend,"

"It's exactly how to treat a guy though," I chuckled dryly as I grabbed a towel out of the cupboard.

"That may be but not all of us are complete tossers like Lucas. All the nice guys get ignored because girls are attracted to the bad guys who'll break their heart and then they go complain that there are no nice guys in the world. Sucks to be me these days,"

"Yep… girls can act pathetic sometimes,"

"I didn't mean you," he said, "I just meant in general,"

"I know. Go get something to eat downstairs if you want, I'll be down in about half an hour," I told him before heading into my bathroom and closing the door. I took a deep breath before getting into the shower – I knew I needed to go out at some point and I deserved a good time but I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach that something big was going to happen tonight.

"Ready?" I asked as I jumped the last few steps of the staircase making Oliver jump.

"Yeah, I…" he stopped mid sentence as he turned to face me.

"What? Have I spilt something?"I asked and quickly checked myself over for whatever had got his attention.

"Nothing. Y-you look … well… hot," he chuckled softly.

"Well you mentioned making Lucas see what he's missing," I grinned as I adjusted my tight black top to show slightly more cleavage.

"No kidding," he laughed before pulling his eyes away and heading to the door.

"Where is this party anyway? Actually, who's party is it?"

"It's at some rich dude's house, up Kensington Street,"

"Kensington? Are you fucking kiddin' me? They won't be having a _party_ it'll be tea and finger sandwiches!" I raised my voice slightly in annoyance.

"Nahh it's not. It's some kid's birthday and it's like a huge thing. My mom's on security – that's how I know about it… plus nearly our whole school was invited anyway,"

"So do they go to our school or something?"

"Apparently… My mom only knows the surname: Stewart, but there's loads of Stewart's and most of them are pretty well off so I can't figure out which one it is,"

"Hmm... guess we'll find out when we get there,"

"Yup. My car or yours?" he asked his hand on the door knob.

"I'm not being the designated driver again – it's less safe than if I were wasted with you throwing up everywhere,"

"Sorry. I want to get drunk though…" he almost whined.

"Cab?" we both said at the same time then laughed. Cab it was.

We pulled up at the gate some twenty minutes later. Security tapped on the window and the cab driver wound it down.

"Name?" said a gruff voice from underneath the security cap.

"Mom, it's me. Let us in,"

"Name," Oliver's mom repeated in that same deep voice. Oliver sighed before giving her our names. She checked them off her clipboard and flicked a switch which swung open the huge iron gates and the cab driver chuckled before heading up the long driveway to the huge house – no, mansion. There were parked limousines on the driveway and I could see people around the outdoor pool across the huge lawn. These were people were ridiculously wealthy.

"Why was your mom using her 'man voice'?" I asked Oliver as we climbed out of the cab and he sighed again.

"It's her 'work voice'," he responded, obviously embarrassed, "She thinks that it'll 'confuse the enemy' or something,"

"Oh… right," I said slamming the door shut and trying to stifle a laugh. "Oh my God!"

"What? What is it?" panicked Oliver. I simply pointed at the huge banner adorning the entrance to the house: 'Happy Birthday Miley!'

"Shit. I shoulda guessed it was _that_ Stewart,"

"Yup," I agreed as I continued to stare at the banner. Miley Stewart. I was at Miley Stewart's house and at her birthday party. Without Oliver's mom getting us in I wouldn't have even known there was a party. The skaters like me and Oliver were hardly best friends with the cheerleaders… we were practically sworn enemies but without the whole murder thing – although I wouldn't put it past a few of the cheerbitches. And Miley was the head cheerleader and therefore was the Queen of the school, dishing out shit just because she could. Brilliant.

"You wanna leave?" asked Oliver, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"We're here now and I did not dress this slutty to sit at home," I said and grabbed his hand, "Come on." I pulled him towards the door and into the house which was simply heaving with people. Bloody hell, he wasn't kidding when he said most of the school was invited. It looked like most of _several_ schools had been invited – minus the skaters and the other minority groups like the goths, emos and nerds. So basically all the people who were here were either 1) a cheerleader, 2) popular, or perhaps most importantly 3) unbelievably hot. After all, the cheerbitches never went anywhere with out a fit guy by their side. And by going by the hierarchy of popularity that would mean the hottest and/or most popular girl has to date the hottest and/or most popular guy in order to keep the whole school in check – and in Sea View High that meant that the 'power couple' was none other than Head Cheerleader Miley Stewart and famous actor Jake Ryan. And there he was being his usual egotistic self, surrounding himself with beautiful girls and his girlfriend nowhere to be seen. Oh well, I wasn't complaining.

"Hey, Oliver! Lilly! Dudes, over here," we heard someone yell and we headed towards the kitchen and to Johnny Collins who shouted us over. The music wasn't as loud in here.

"Hey JC," greeted Oliver giving the boy a high five.

"Hey J," I smiled and fist bumped him.

"How'd you guys get in? Skater's weren't invited,"

"Oliver's mom's on security. So how'd you get in then?" I asked him, a fellow skater.

"My mom and Miley's dad are getting kinda _friendly_," he shuddered at the final word, "And I thought 'Hey, free booze,'" he laughed and handed Oliver and me a bottle of beer. I took a deep swig of the delicious liquid.

"Sorry about your mom and Mr S dude, that's harsh," Oliver told him.

"It's cool. I mean have you seen this place? I wouldn't mind living here at all,"

"True, it is a pretty sweet crib," I said as I took in the island counter topped with what seemed like hundreds of bottles of alcohol, the huge aga cooker and the other _three_ ovens, the huge double doored fridge… they even had one of those televisions which appeared from under the cupboards.

"Hey Lilly," I heard a familiar voice say. I turned to see Lucas stood with some girl I didn't know from Adam but I immediately hated her. How could I not? The ten inch thick makeup, a skirt which covered no more skin than what a belt would, the orange skin and the bleached blonde hair. Not really someone who strikes you as the intelligent type.

"Hi Lucas, how's it hangin'? Same as usual?" I asked indicating with my finger that it was 'hanging down'. His face was a picture – mixture of anger, fear and utter embarrassment.

"Oooo, burn!" laughed Johnny and Oliver in sync and proceeded to high five each other.

"Y'know Lilly, I was about to come over here and apologise for how things ended with us but you've just made me realise that I made the right decision,"

"Right decision? Since when is shagging some bleach blonde whore the right decision?"

"You wanna say that to my face, bitch?" Said the blonde who took a step towards me.

"Oh is that supposed to scare me?!" I mocked her before focusing back on Lucas, "Y'know what Lucas? You can just go fuck yourself – or anyone else for that matter because I don't care. You are _nothing _to me. Oh and Blondie, you might want to reconsider who you shag because knowing him, he's probably got every disease going," and with that I turned my back to them. They never responded and after a moment I heard them walk away.

"Nice one, Lilly!" shouted Oliver, clapping me on the back causing me to stumble forward.

"That felt good," I smiled, my voice trembling slightly from the adrenaline which pumped around my body. I hated confrontation even if it did make me feel slightly better.

"Good? Try bloody _brilliant_!" laughed Johnny, "He's a dick and it's about time someone said something to him."

"I need a drink," I muttered and grabbed my beer and downed the rest of it in a few gulps.

"Take it easy Lils," Oliver said but I dismissed his comment with a wave of my hand.

"I've done what I came here to do and now I wanna forget all about it for at least a couple of hours," I responded as I popped the lid on a can.

"Well alright, just don't do anything stupid," he warned before heading off towards the thumping music.

It didn't take me long to make the room spin. I'd downed several bottles I felt fucking fantastic.

"Dance with me?" I said, swaying slightly on my heels as I placed my hands on the hard muscles of Johnny's chest. I watched in awe as the red blush swept across his face.

"Sure," he nodded furiously. I knew Johnny liked me; he had done for as long as I can remember. I just couldn't see him as more than a friend - don't get me wrong, Johnny was unbelievably attractive, but he just didn't do it for me.

I took his hand which I noticed grew sweaty in my cool palm, and led him into what I presume was the living room but for all intents and purposes it was a dance room tonight. I could feel the music vibrating in my chest and the rhythm of the night was pulling at my body; I needed to move, I needed to dance. I wrapped my hands around Johnny's neck and began swaying my hips slowly and gradually picking up speed as I threw in some other moves. The alcohol was burning through my veins but I still had some control over my body as I turned around and pressed into Johnny. His hands went to my waist and guided my hips in time with his. I closed my eyes and put an arm over my head and snaked my fingers lazily into his hair. I could feel his heart beating – no, racing against my back… or was that just the beat of the music. I couldn't tell, I was getting lost in the movements. I turned back around to face him and opened my eyes. I tried to focus on a stationary object but could find none in the swirl of dancing bodies. Dizziness made me stumble slightly by Johnny kept me up right. I rested my head against that hard chest and saw Lucas dry humping that blonde bitch and I couldn't help the spasm of jealousy which overtook my body.

I watched as Lucas happened to glance my way and grin in his smug little way. I returned the grin and added a wink before I pulled on Johnny's neck and brought the taller boy's lips down to mine. After a moment's initial shock he gladly began moving his hot lips with mine, his hands greedily grasping at my ass. His tongue moved against my bottom lip and I almost reluctantly complied and allowed his hot tongue to wrestle with my own. Despite the intoxication of my senses and my desire to make Lucas jealous… I couldn't help but notice how much I wasn't enjoying this. His hands were too large as they groped at the flesh exposed between my top and jeans. His lips were chapped and his tongue was close to choking me. He seemed to be taking what he wanted from the kiss rather than allowing me much enjoyment. Well… I can't really blame him considering I only initiated the kiss to get what I wanted – payback. I pulled away from that mouth and saw Lucas was staring at us. I winked again and he continued to dry hump the blonde whore although obviously rattled by my show of affection to one of my best friends. Ugh – one of my best friends. I just made out with Johnny Collins – ew. He's like a brother to me.

"Um I need another d-drink," I said as I returned to the kitchen, stumbling along the way. I grabbed whatever was closest and drank it all. Anything to take the taste of him out of my mouth. By the time Johnny came back in to join me, there were two empty bottles beside me.

"Hey," he practically growled as he grabbed my ass, making me jump. "Wanna get out of here?" he asked huskily. I took all of my remaining self control not to throw up at that proposition.

"Um… l-later," was all I managed to say before I escaped back into the madness. Too many people. Too hot. Too loud. I need to escape… too much. I saw the stairs and headed for them, climbing them carefully and avoiding various people who were making out on the steps. It was still full of partying people up here. It was way too hot. I needed to splash my face or something. Bathroom, where's the bathroom?

"Hey are you okay?" I heard someone say and I turned to see Oliver.

"Bathroooooom," I said and started to stumble to one side. Oliver grabbed me.

"How much have you had Lilly?"

"N-nothing muuuch," I said and giggled at how my voice wouldn't obey me.

"Yeah right. I can smell it on your breath anyway. The bathroom's down there," he pointed, "Go sort yourself out,"

"Pfft," I scoffed and I made my way down the corridor to the bathroom. I knocked on the closed door, "Hellooo?" I said happily. My grossed out mood quickly disappearing and being replaced with sheer giddiness. "Helloooooo? Anybody in there? I'll come in anyway… Okey-dokey, don't say I didn't warn you," I laughed before pushing open the door. My laugh quickly disappeared as I saw none other than Miley Stewart sat on the edge of the bath, tears running down her face.

"Um… sorry, I did knock though," I told her before turning to leave.

"No, it's okay. I didn't respond anyway," she said still not looking up as she wiped her eyes.

"Are you… it's a stupid question but are you okay?"

"Sure, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be after I just caught my boyfriend shagging some slut from Derwent High? Why would I come in here and break the fucking lock in my desperation to be cry in peace if I weren't okay?" she managed to spit out before a fresh bout of sobbing shook her body. I looked to the floor and saw the broken lock…

"Um… is there anything I can do?" I asked her. She may be Head Cheerbitch but I couldn't exactly ignore a crying girl… especially not on her birthday.

"No. I just want to be able to cry in peace,"

"Y'know, crying doesn't help. You can't let him know how much you hurt – it only makes him feel more important,"

"I can't help it y'know," she retorted and looked up at me for the first time. "Truscott?"

"Yep," I said and gave her a small wave.

"Hmm… I'd of thought a skater like you would have stood and ridiculed me after finding me in a bathroom crying at my own party," she scoffed.

"Give me some credit at least. I may be a skater but it doesn't define me as a person – I'm still human you know," I retaliated back.

"Sorry. It's what usually seems to happen," she said just before someone burst in to the bathroom brandishing a red cup which spilt its contents as they stumbled through the door. It seemed to go in slow motion as the liquid headed straight for Miley and subsequently drenched her.

"Fuck!" she yelled and stood to her feet, "What's you're problem? Hasn't enough shit happened to me today?" she screamed as more tears fell from her eyes.

The guy just stood there and stared with glazed eyes at what he'd done, not even apologising.

"Hey buddy," I said and he turned to me and I delivered a swift right hook to his jaw and pushed him out of the way. "Come on; let's get you some dry clothes,"

"Why are you being so nice?" she asked after a few moments as she held the wet fabric away from her skin.

"I honestly don't know," I told her, "Come on."

"I can't go out there – look at me. I look awful,"

"No you don't, just wipe the mascara from your cheeks and it'll be fine,"

"But my dress is drenched," she complained.

"Okay fine," I groaned and swiftly whipped off my shirt and held it out to her. "I'll wear the wet dress and you wear this until you can change. Okay?"

"Um… thanks," she said as she proceeded to pull up the fabric of her dress. I turned to face the opposite direction as we switched outfits.

"Ready?" I asked with my hand on the door handle. She nodded and I opened the door and allowed her to lead the way to her room which was up another flight of stairs and at the very end of a very long corridor.

She opened the door to her room and let me go in before closing the door behind her. "I'll be two seconds," she said before heading into her closet. I just nodded as I took in the huge room. It wasn't all pink and princess-y like I would have imagined, it was decorated tastefully in creams and whites with accent colours of reds and turquoises in the curtains and on the sofa which was set against the back wall. Wow… I wish I lived here.

"Um … here," she said startling me. I turned to see her now dressed in a causal t-shirt and jeans and holding out my clothes. I took them and said thanks. "You can change in the closet."

I proceeded into the big walk in wardrobe and took a moment to admire the sheer magnitude to clothing and shoes she had in here. I wonder what her dad does for a living to be able to buy his daughter all these gorgeous things. Once dressed again I headed back into her room to see she was sat on her bed and hugging a large bear as tears fell down her face.

"I guess you're not going back to the party," I said and she simply shook her head. "It's your birthday Miley, you shouldn't have to hide just because you're boyfriend did the dirty on you,"

"Oh please, as if you have any idea how I'm feeling!" she yelled at me.

"Whoa, calm down. As a matter of fact, I know _exactly_ what you're feeling," I retorted and went to sit on the edge of her bed. "You know Lucas? Yeah well I was with him about three months then I found out he'd been shagging another girl behind my back. So you see – I know what it's like. I bet your thinking about what _you_ did wrong to make them want someone else… am I right?"

She nodded and just stared at me as if she couldn't believe that the skater and the Queen of the school actually had something in common.

"Miley!" shouted some nasally girl before the flung open the door, "Someone's pissed in the Dom Pérignon!"

"Not now, Traci!" Miley yelled at her and practically flew across the room to slam the door. She then pushed a chair under the handle to prevent anyone else coming in uninvited. "Okay. So what did you do? About Lucas?"

"To tell the truth I reacted just like you – I cried a hell of a lot and tonight is the first time I've left the house, other than school, in about four weeks,"

"Can't wait," she mumbled.

"I came here thinking I could have a few drinks and maybe flirt a little to get some revenge but… I got bladdered and ended up making out with one of my best friends. That's why I went to the bathroom – to try and calm myself down. Then I saw you and I sobered up,"

"Yeah I was pretty wasted before walking in on Jake," she told me as she looked under her bed for something. "Here we go," she pulled out a bottle of wine and handed it to me before sitting on the bed with her own bottle. "Here's to guy's fucking us over and us drinking to forget," she said holding up her bottle in a toast.

"Here, here," I chuckled and clinked our bottles together before pulling off the top and taking a gulp of the wine.

Fuck. Shit, that's painful, I thought as I opened my eyes a crack. It was way too bright for my eyes and my head felt like it had been steamrolled and then filled with thousands of crickets which were bouncing off of the walls of my brain. Anything louder than my own shallow breathing made my head pound; even the movement of the sheets was too loud. I kept my eyes tightly shut as I swung my legs out of the bed and grimaced at the too-loud nose my feet made as they made contact with the carpet. Oh that's odd… my carpet never normally feels this soft.

I walked slowly and quietly towards my door, my eyes still closed to the painful light of day. I needed to get a drink because my mouth was all fuzzy and tasted like…. I don't know… just not like how my mouth should taste.

"Shit," I cursed then cursed myself internally for being too loud for my own ears. I opened my eyes just a slither and saw the wall in front of me. What the hell? Where was my door? I'd walked in a straight line from my bed to the door like usual so…. Where'd it go? I opened my eyes a bit more and saw the door about a metre away from where I was stood. Who the hell had moved my door and stuck a chair under the handle?

"No," I whispered in disbelief at the thought that ran through my mind. "It can't possibly," I said just as quietly as I turned slowly and saw what I didn't want to see. This wasn't my room. I scoped the unfamiliar room slowly and carefully… racking my memory to try and remember who's room I was in. I couldn't' remember anything from the previous night. I took in the cream rug and stared in disbelief as I acknowledged that the black top on the floor was mine. I glanced down and saw that I was stark naked. How the hell had I missed that? Oh fuck… I'm naked, that means I've shagged someone. I returned my gaze to the rug and saw my other clothes tossed haphazardly alongside someone else's. Wait… there are two bras on the floor and only one is mine.

"Please God, don't let it be a girl. Don't let it be a girl. Don't let it be a girl," I chanted softly before looking at the bed. "Fuck me," I breathed in shock. I couldn't quite see their face but I'd recognise that wavy brunette hair anywhere; Miley Stewart. I'd fucked Miley Stewart. If I were a guy I'd be punching the air but I wasn't so I didn't. I was a girl – a _straight _girl! And I'd fucked none other than Miley Stewart. Fucking hell.

"What do I do?" I whispered to myself. What _could_ I do? I didn't want to wake her - that confrontation could wait till another time. I crept forward and scooped up my clothes and hastily pulled them on, avoiding the empty wine bottles which had rolled out from under my jeans. Fuck me, I was already wasted beforehand never mind after downing another bottle – no wonder I'd lost all sense and fucked her. Oh god – stop thinking about it Lilly.

I pulled my cell out of my jeans pocket and saw I had several texts from Oliver. The first were concerned with my whereabouts and the last said he was getting a cab and going home. I couldn't complain – I'd have done the same if I couldn't find him but I couldn't help but feel slight resentment at him not coming and finding me before I… before _that_.

I checked the time: 13:06pm. I'd come to the party last night at about 8ish and here I was only just waking up at one the next fucking afternoon. I quietly edged the chair from under the handle and let myself out. Shit, this house is like a labyrinth, I thought as I finally found the stairs and quietly padded down, my heels held securely in my hands. I found the next set of stairs slightly quicker than the last and paused to look down at what I'd called the 'dance room'. It was a complete and utter tip. There were drinks cans, bottles and cups scattered all over. Bits of random paper on the floor and there was a split cushion with its feathered insides spilling out onto the floor. Wine stains on the sofa and something which looked particularly repulsive seeping out from under the door of the closet. Pure mayhem.

"Hola,"

I span around quickly and regretted it immediately when my head felt like it would implode. A middle-aged Latina woman descended the stairs with a mop and bucket in hand. She stood by my side and surveyed the chaos in the room below.

"Dios mío," she said before giving me a brief smile and descending the rest of the stairs and began cleaning up. They have _maids_? My Spanish was a little rusty but I think she said 'My god' …. But 'Hola' is defiantly hello._ My god_ indeed, I thought as I hurried out of the house and ran towards the gate.

"Hey Mrs Oken," I said as I approached the gate.

"Lilly? What are you still doing here? Oliver said he was heading home about 12 hours ago," she said in her 'work voice' which killed my head.

"Um… I forgot my phone,"

"Okay," she said gruffly before flicking the switch and opening the gate for me. How long was she paid to be here for? Once I was out of sight of Oliver's scary mom I fell to my knees and let those tears fall.

What had I done?

**AN: What d'ya think? Good? Bad? Awful? ****I'm using the track names for titles and trying to weave some of the lyrics into the text... is it okay? or does it sound silly? The Title of the fic: Dirty Little Secret is from one of my favourite songs from The All American Rejects, If you don't know it, it's worht checking out :) Review please and stay tuned x**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey, thanks for all the reviews guys :) This isn't a long one but I couldn't think of any way to extend it without adding boring stuff... Enjoy x**

**Chapter Two: **Hungover

[Miley's POV]

"Miss Stewart?" said a voice as they banged on my door. Damn it! My head's fucking killing and they decide to wake me by trying to knock my door down?! You can't get the service these days.

"Yes?" I forced myself to say and cringed at how dry my throat was and how deep and husky my voice had gone. I licked my lips to try and moisten them and was baffled by the unfamiliar taste of them.

The door opened and Maurice came into the room, his little bow-tie slightly askew as he flung open the curtains. "It's a beautiful day, are you planning on sleeping for the whole of it?"

"Yes," I mumbled before covering my face with my duvet, shielding myself from the painful light of day.

"You have the cheerleaders coming over later remember? Do you want them to turn up to find you still in bed? Is that really the up-and-at-'em attitude you want your girls to take on board? Hmm…?"

"Sweet niblets! Fine, I'm up, I'm up," I said and threw the duvet off and sat up in bed. If it weren't for Maurice's shocked face it would have taken a little longer for me to figure out why I felt so chilly. I quickly looked down and acknowledged what I was already thinking. I was naked. I screamed and pulled the duvet around me quickly, my head throbbing from my echoing shriek.

"Um… I'll… um… go make you some breakfast," stuttered Maurice before hastily exiting the room and slamming the door behind him. Why the hell was I naked? I peeked under the covers just to double check – yep, I was definitely naked. Marvellous. But why?

I pulled the duvet around myself as I walked into my bathroom and flicked on the shower – no need to freeze while I waited for it to warm up. Once the water was hot I tossed the duvet back into my room and shut my bathroom door and hopped into the water. My head was simply banging but the hot water felt good. I squeezed a copious amount of my strawberry shower gel into my palm and began cleansing my body.

"Ow," I said to myself as my hand grazed a tender spot. "What was that?" I muttered and looked down at my breast at where it hurt. I moved some of the soapy lather and gasped. There was no mistaking that. It was a love-bite. On my _fucking breast_! What the hell had happened last night? I wake up naked and I have a love bite… no, make that two, I corrected myself upon seeing another on my waist… three, on my stomach. Fucking hell, I'd shagged someone! But who? Even if I were bladdered I wouldn't touch Jake Ryan with a barge pole after what he'd done… so who?

I racked my brain but came up with nothing; the last thing I remember is running to the bathroom crying after seeing that bastard shagging some whore. Just forget that Miley, there's bigger things happening right now other than your unfaithful boyfriend. Who would I have slept with? Apparently someone who left before I woke up – so can't really be a nice person…. Although it'd be weird if they _were_ there when I woke up – what was I supposed to do? Offer them coffee? Oh shut up Miley, try and remember.

I still hadn't though of anything after getting dressed and heading downstairs. I avoided all eye contact with Maurice who didn't mind the aversion. He placed a plate of eggs and bacon in front of me and the smell made me nauseous. Ugh, I thought as I placed a forkful in my mouth. I forced myself to eat it, knowing that I'd only feel worse if I didn't eat at all.

"Morning," said Jackson as he entered the kitchen, slurping a smoothie.

"Hey," I said groggily.

"Well, someone seems to have drunk too much at her party last night," he laughed. "You should try one of these," he said shaking the smoothie, "Banana, milk and honey – perfect hangover cure,"

"Gimmie," I asked and held out my hands for it. He simply laughed and held the smoothie protectively out of my reach. "Bully," I muttered and pushed my still wet hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear,"

"I'm not a – wait… what do we have here?" he said coming closer, "Somebody's got a hickey,"

"Another one?!" I exclaimed before I realised what I'd said.

"Just how many do you have sis?" he chuckled, "I'll have to beat Jake up for marking my sister,"

"It wasn't Jake," I muttered as I felt the tender mark on my neck.

"What? Whore alert! Whore alert!" he laughed loudly.

"Shut the fuck up Jackson," I said, more concerned with waking my dad than my aching skull.

"Whoa, calm down…" the rest of his sentence grew muffled as realisation dawned on me.

"What did you say?" I blurted, desperate to have heard him wrong.

"Umm… don't take it out on me?"

"No, the first bit,"

"Calm down?"

"Yeah… shit," I said as pieces of last night flooded back.

"_Whoa, calm down. As a matter of fact, I know exactly what you're feeling," she retorted and came to sit on the end of my bed. "You know Lucas? Yeah well I was with him about three months then I found out he'd been shagging another girl behind my back. So you see – I know what it's like. I bet your thinking about what you did wrong to make them want someone else… am I right?"_

Then the next flashback came, the one which made me put my hand to cover my mouth as I remembered the sensation.

"_Maybe… maybe…" she started then hiccupped and fell into bouts of laughter. "Maybe they l-leave us because we're no fun?"_

"_No! I'm fun! Look at me," I argued and knelt up on the bed and danced around a little before we both burst out laughing._

"_Okay okay," she giggled, "Maybe… I don't know," she said slapping her leg in frustration._

"_Maybe… well, I know I'm goooood but maybe _you_ are a shit kisser," I grinned and she dropped her mouth at my accusation._

"_H-how dare you? I happen to be a p-p-perfectly good kisser thank you very much," _

"_P-p-pffft," I mocked giddily._

"_What? You want me to prove it lesbo?" she asked, a grin clear on her face._

"_Hell, no," I giggled nervously making my voice go all high pitched. Whether it was the alcohol or the lack of self-esteem from Jake's cheating… I _wanted_ her to kiss me. She drained the last of the wine in her bottle then took hold of my jaw in one hand and pulled my face gently to hers and placed her lips on mine. It was only for a moment but that short kiss was the best I'd ever had. She pulled away and watched my reaction as I tried to gain some composure rather than sighing at the absence of her lips on mine._

"_I barely even felt that," I mocked even though my heart was racing and butterflies fluttered manically in my stomach._

"_Oi!" she squeaked and pushed my shoulder causing me to fall backwards and lay on the bed. "Let's see if you feel this one then." She knelt over me and put her mouth back on mine, this time for longer and she moved her lips with mine before pulling up again. "Well?" she grinned. I was lost for words – I wanted to kiss her again but was she just proving a point or did she want to too? I have to say something otherwise she'll know something's up… no, fuck it, I thought as I quickly wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and brought her back to my lips which ached to touch hers again._

_She gasped slightly in surprise but I continued to kiss her and after a moments hesitation she reciprocated the kiss and her tongue pushed gently at my lips and I gladly parted them to allow her in. I moaned at the contact and I felt her grin. _

Then I saw various images of entwined limbs, discarded clothes, of Lilly marking my skin before travelling further south and my actual want for her to do it.

"Oh my god," I breathed, unable to deny the memories which flooded back to me.

"What?"

"I … never mind," I told Jackson before I ran upstairs. "Fuck, Miley. Fuck!" I yelled as I stared at my reflection in the mirror before continuing with my pacing. What was I going to do? I'd slept with Lilly; a skater, a _girl_! Jesus, this was the end of my entire life! I couldn't go back to school with people thinking the Head cheerleader was a fucking lesbian! The whole school hierarchy will fall in to disrepute and I am not having anyone else take my place, it took too much effort to climb up the social ladder.

"What have you gotten yourself into Miley?" I mumbled to myself, finally stopping my pacing before slumping onto my couch, the cool leather squeaking slightly from my fall back onto it.

"Y'alright bud?" I heard my dad say, poking his head around the door.

"Yeah, fine dad," I told him, grateful he couldn't see my tears from where he stood.

"Good. I'm going to be gone most of the day, so behave yourself,"

"Okay dad," I said before he closed the door and my chest ached painfully. The party was over, everybody was gone and now I'm here all by myself unable to think of anything to explain what had so wrong that I'd slept with a girl, actually _wanted_ to sleep with her. I'm not gay! I'm as straight as straight can be – I'm a fucking cheerleader for crying out loud!

About an hour later, my hair was dry and tied in loose pigtails to try and conceal the hickey on my neck which I had tried to cover up with make-up and only managing to fade it slightly. I'd just pulled on my blue shorts when I heard the doorbell ring. The team was here.

"Miley!" I heard someone shout and I checked the coverage of my love-bite before heading downstairs. All sixteen girls were stood in the entrance hall and watched as I descended the stairs.

"Hey Miles, we practising outside? It's a nice day,"

"It's California, Ashley, it's always a nice day," scoffed Amber.

"Sure, let's go," I said before the name-calling and cat-scratching could begin. I led the team out back and onto the lawn, carrying my stereo in one hand and the selection of CD's in the other. I set it down on the ground and popped in a disc to warm up to.

"Phew… shall we practise now?" asked Traci after a good half-an-hour practise.

"Yeah. Good warm up, girls," I smiled, wiping my brow before switching CD. "Right remember, we changed the mid-section from this," I did the manoeuvre, "to this:" and I demonstrated the new move which involved a 360° stomp and a high kick.

I pressed play and hurried into position as the music started up and I bobbed my head to get the rhythm

"One! Two! Three! Four!" I counted and we all burst into action, watching ourselves and each other in the glass doors ahead of us.

"See ya Miley," chorused the girls as they left some four hours later.

"See you tomorrow," I smiled back, pushing my hair off of my hot forehead.

"Miley, that practice was like _so_ amazing. Your routines are always brilliant," said Traci, her 'deviated septum' shrill in my ears.

"Thanks, Traci," I said and I watched in horror as she clocked the poorly covered love bite on my neck.

"Miley that is _so_ uncool. I don't blame you after what Jake did but to let them mark you, no, that is just not right,"

"Trace, can we just like not talk about this? Please?"

"Fine, but if this all blows up in your face, don't come crying to me,"

"Please, you'd take my head cheerleading spot before it even went cold," I said, only half-joking.

"Don't you know it," she grinned before leaving. I closed the door behind her… school tomorrow, this should be fun.

**AN: What did you think? Leave a review. I think the next chapter will be back to Lilly's POV so stay tuned x**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Okay I know my timeline in the last chapter was really vauge and sucky so here it is: Lilly woke up about 1ish and left, Miley woke up about 2ish then about an hour later the cheerleaders came round then four hours after that the cheerleaders went home which would be around 7ish. Sorry it sucked. Oh and anyone who noticed the 'Thirteen' reference - 10 points :) That scene was so similar to what I had in mind I just had to use the dialouge from it. If you haven't seen the film you should :) **

**Okay, this chapter features Mikayla and the description of her hair is from a girl in Lady Gaga's 'Just Dance' video - she wears a bluish shirt and first appears like 30 seconds in if you wanna check it out. ****Finally, enjoy x**

**Chapter Three:** Blind

"Lilly! Come on, get up; it's a school day,"

"I'm not going," I mumbled to my mom.

"Why on earth not?"

"Because." I said simply, as if that constituted me having a day off of school.

"Well, either you get up yourself or I go get the bucket. You know I'll do it," she threatened and I immediately jumped out of bed; thankfully wearing pyjamas unlike yesterday. Damn it Lilly, you've been awake all of five seconds and you've already ruined your day by thinking about that, well done!

"So why don't you want to go to school? Did something happen at that party you haven't told me about?" my mom asked as I pulled on my dressing gown. What is it with mothers? They always know exactly what's wrong…well maybe not exactly as I doubt my mother is thinking that I had sex with a _girl_ while under the influence at a party I technically wasn't invited to. If she was thinking that, I'd have to come to the conclusion that she was some kind of alien imposter with telepathic powers.

"No… just tired," I lied.

"You know that won't work on me missus,"

"It's nothing… um, just y'know, teenage things,"

"And are you saying that I'm too old to understand these 'teenage things' of yours?"

"No, not at all…. It's not like that. I just, it's girl stuff," I concluded, knowing that what I meant by _girl_ stuff and what my mom thought I meant would be very different things.

"It may have slipped your notice Lillian, but as your mother, I too am a female,"

"No I didn't mean that, I just, it's just…"

"You get fidgety when you try to lie,"

"I'm not trying to lie,"

"Yes you are, you've been playing with that pen all the time we've been talking," she said and nodded to the pen which I didn't even remember picking up. I placed it down on my dresser and turned back to face my mom.

"I just don't want to talk about it right now,"

"As long as you know I'm always here if you want to talk," she smiled and I nodded. Yeah, I'm sure she'd love to hear how her only daughter got cheated on by her loser boyfriend, subsequently got bladdered, made out with one of her best friends, then drank some more and ended up sleeping with someone classed as her enemy and not only that but that someone was a girl! Yeah, I'm sure my mom could cope with that conversation and offer some advice… I think not.

Then she got up and left me to continue getting ready for school… because I obviously wanted to go and face the girl I'd slept with, especially since I had no idea who'd even started it – I wouldn't be able to defend myself if she started saying I'd come on to her, because that night was so hazy that I genuinely didn't know what the hell happened other than I woke up next to her with an unfamiliar taste in my mouth, a hickey on my inner thigh and a rather painful nail mark on my ass… hmmm.

"I'm telling you, it was so totally sick dude!"

"Sick? It was fucking _insane_ man!"

"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" I asked as I rolled up to the guys then hopped off my board and popped the tail, catching it instinctively in my right hand to enable me to lean on it.

"The new skate park they built on East. They opened it last night – it was a midnight opening. They had spotlights and everything – it was so completely awesome," blabbered Mikayla, her dark hair bobbing in her excitement. As she spoke in that seemingly ever-quickening voice, Johnny grinned at me and came over, slipping his arm around my waist. Shit, I so have to sort this messed up thing up. I slid out of his grasp and leaned a little more on my board so that I put more space between us. His expression was hurt but I wasn't about to embarrass him in front of our friends by saying that I only kissed him because I was drunk and getting revenge on Lucas – I'm a nicer person than that.

"Whoa, whoa, Mik slow down," I stopped her rambling about this awesome new skate park. "Did anyone think to call me? A little heads up would have been nice,"

"Well we thought you might have been a little _busy_," she winked and my mouth dropped. How did she know? I certainly haven't mentioned it. Miley? She wouldn't… would she? No, it'd ruin her whole Queen of the school thing… so how did she know?

"How do you know about that?" I hissed, trying to keep my voice low and she just giggled.

"Oh please, everybody knows,"

"_Everybody!_" I repeated at a much higher volume. _Everybody knew? _Christ, I should have stayed in bed.

"Well did you really think that Johnny would keep his mouth shut about finally getting with the girl of his dreams?" she laughed, punching Johnny lightly on his arm.

"Johnny? Huh?" I said before it dawned on me. I turned to look at his blushing and scared face.

"What the _hell_ did you tell people Johnny?"I almost snarled.

"Nothing, I swear. Nothing more than what happened," he said, his eyes darting from me to the others as if he were looking for backup to protect him from my wrath… none came.

"Johnny," I growled as I grabbed his shirt and lifted it so that my fist was under his chin, grasping the fabric of his shirt tightly. If it were Oliver in his position, he'd be complaining that I was ripping out his only chest hair… Johnny had a different way for me to let go.

"Lilly, please," he begged, the tears already filling his eyes. He was such a wuss.

"No, not until you tell them that you lied," I said, tightening my grasp.

"I never lied," he claimed and I put my foot behind his and shoved him with my free hand causing him to tumble backwards but my hand kept him from falling to the ground. He grasped my forearm instantly in self-preservation; one false word and the release of my hold on his shirt would drop him down onto the hard concrete.

"Okay, okay," he reasoned, "I may have exaggerated a little – a _lot, _okay, I exaggerated a lot!" he added after a little persuasion. I pulled him back to his feet and he brushed at his shirt, trying to rid it of the newly-formed crinkles.

"Wait – so you _didn't_ do the dirty with Lilly?" Mik asked Johnny and his cheeks flushed a deeper red, almost red enough to rival that of a tomato.

"Of course he bloody didn't!" I exclaimed. "And everyone thinks I did? Well that's just fucking fantastic,"

"What's the big deal, Lils? You wanted to get back at Lucas and now you have, and it's better than them saying its someone else… like Dandruff Danny or someone?" offered Oliver.

"Or someone," I repeated under my breath before continuing at normal volume, "I suppose your right. But don't think you're getting off lightly with this, Johnny,"

"Uh-huh," gulped Johnny, nodding violently just as the school bell rang. Let the _real_ hell begin.

"Lilly, walk with me?" smiled Mik, looking at me over her yellow-rimmed Ray Bans. I smiled and nodded, taking her outstretched arm and tucking our boards under our free arms.

"So who did you sleep with?" she asked once out of earshot of the guys.

"What? No one,"

"Please, the guys may not have noticed but when I accused you of sleeping with Johnny, you thought I knew about someone else – so who is it?"

"Damn it, you know I can't lie to you,"

"I know," she squeaked happily. We climbed the steps into the school and through the main doors and at the end of the corridor were the cheerleaders. They were walking in that typical movie-style, you know the one where the head cheerbitch walks in front and the others line up behind her in an almost triangle formation… its in most films and terribly cliché but it seems to work in this school because the masses of students parted like the red sea to allow them through.

I just stared at Miley walking ahead of the others, trying to gauge whether anything would get said to me… or if she'd said anything to her cronies. Was it just me or was there less sass in her walk? Less confidence in her stride? Or am I just overanalysing?

"So who'd you sleep with?"

"Uhhh…." Was all I managed to say as I realised the cheerbitches were heading straight for us.

"Who was it Lils?" pestered Mik from my side and I pulled my attention from Miley and the cheerbitches to tell her that we'd talk about it later. She looked upset at first then noticed the school royalty heading out way.

"Oh look, it's Lucas' leftovers. Do you purposely cause guys to go elsewhere or is it some kind of natural pheromone you unconsciously give off?" laughed Amber on the left hand side of Miley who looked increasingly uncomfortable and didn't meet my eyes.

"You couldn't even spell pheromone," scoffed Mik and I in sync before we copied the Royalty's 'finger-touch-hiss' which was also incredibly cliché yet seemed to work somehow for them. For me and Mik, it served brilliantly to piss them off.

"So, Skater girl, you catch any _serious air_ lately?" laughed Traci, obviously mocking us but failing miserably… was that supposed to be insulting? Seriously?

"Yeah, there's plenty coming from your head," Mik smirked and stopped Traci's incessant nasal laugh.

"Oh please, as if we haven't heard that one before," grinned Ashley – the cheerleader who is _the_ most clueless person, like, ever! The cheerleaders all threw 'evils' at her for what she'd said and me and Mik just giggled to ourselves. "What?" she asked, not understanding what she'd said.

"Ladies, classrooms please," said Mr Higgins as he passed us and we all began moving towards our respective classrooms. I happened to glance up at Miley who'd remained quiet the whole time and she met my eyes and mouthed a quick sorry before hurrying off to her class. Why was she sorry? For what happened between us or because of her bitch friends… or both? I didn't know.

"Is it later yet?" whispered Mik at the back of our Geography with Miss Linley – the most skinny person in the world who _doesn't_ actually have an eating disorder.

"Huh?" I whispered back while scribbling the answer to question five on my paper.

"You said you'd tell me later about… y'know,"

"Girls! No talking," yelled Miss Linley, her lank hair swaying with the abruptness of her turning.

"Sorry, Miss," we said in unison before dropping our heads back to our paper and Miss Linley turned back to the board and continued writing the homework question.

"Psst," came Mik's voice a few minutes later before she shoved a folded piece of paper on to my desk. I put my pen in my mouth and opened the note. _So who did you sleep with?_ it said. Do I tell her? I mean she is my best friend and I tell her everything but… sleeping with a girl!

_It's something you totally won't expect and you have to promise not to make a big deal or take the piss or tell anyone or anything… _I wrote and handed the paper back to her.

_I promise! Cross my heart and all that. I won't tell a soul!_ She hurriedly wrote back.

I took a deep breath before writing Miley's name, folding up the paper carefully – much to the annoyance of Mik who was anxiously waiting. Picking up the paper and holding it out towards Mik's outstretched hand, I hesitated – did I really want to tell her? But can I deal with this alone? I don't know. Mik snatched the paper before my deliberation could prevent her from knowing and hurriedly unravelled the folded note and I watched her expression as she read the name and then realised what it actually said.

"Fuck me!" she exclaimed loudly. I think there must have been about thirty pairs of eyes on her at that instant, and by association those eyes also looked at me. I felt the heat begin to flush to my face and I pulled my beanie further down to try and shield my embarrassment. "Oh, crap… Sorry," Mik apologised as she saw the angry glare she was getting from Miss Linley. It was too late though – she'd turned Hulk already.

"Mikayla Gomez! How _dare_ you use such foul language in my class room? That's two hours detention,"

"Two?" exclaimed Mik before she could stop herself.

"Make that three for back chatting,"

"But I wasn't-"

"Four. Would you like to go for a fifth?" Miss Linley asked, her anger making that vein on her forehead pulsate as if it were about to burst. Mik remained silent this time. "That's what I thought. Now, continue with your work and if I hear another sound out of you, _or_ Truscott, I'll put you both in for detention,"

I was about to protest my innocence but decided against it – that argument would only put me in deeper shit. Eventually everyone got back to their work and Mik slipped me another note. _Are you __fucking__ serious? Miley Stewart?_

Instead of writing 'yes' I simply nodded at her and her mouth dropped. Then she flapped her hands in her want for the paper which I handed her back and she quickly scribbled on it before handing it back.

_Why? What the hell were you thinking?_

_I __wasn't__ thinking,_ I wrote back, _I was out of my mind drunk… I don't even remember it. I remember finding her in the bathroom crying and then it all goes hazy until I woke up in her bed – naked! I put two and two together and … yeah._

_Fuck me. You don't half have some bad luck, Lilly. First your bf cheats on you, and then Johnny tells like the entire school you shagged him and instead you fucked Miley Stewart! _She scrawled back.

_I don't need a re-run Mik. I am keeping up with the situation._

_Sorry. What are you gonna do?_

_What can I do? I don't have a time machine…_

_So you don't like her? _I read. Like her? As in _like_ _her_ like her? Why would she even write that?

_What? Of course I don't! I'm straight! Plus, it's __Miley__!_

_Sorry, I just thought I'd make sure. Do you reckon she's gay?_

_I dunno. I wouldn't have thought so – she __has __had a boyfriend._

_Had? Are her and Jake not together anymore? And having a boyfriend doesn't mean she isn't gay – my Uncle Pete was married before he changed teams._

_Jake cheated on her at the party. And I'm not gay, and as far as I know she isn't either. It was a drunken mistake which is never to be repeated. _

_Does she know that?_

_Well I hope she doesn't expect it to be a regular occurrence. _I wrote back and then realised that I would have to talk to Miley – there was no other way to make sure she knew I wasn't gay and certainly wasn't into her… or going to be 'in' her anytime soon. Ugh.

The bell went and I quickly scribbled some answers onto my paper and jotted down the homework question before packing up my stuff.

"I'm glad that lesson's over," sighed Mik, pushing her hair out of her eyes then running her hand over the star she'd had shaven into left side of her head. It was a habit of hers, she didn't even know she did it – sometimes she'd just sit and caress it. She'd only done it a couple of weeks ago – after having to have a huge chunk of hair cut out because some twat put gum in her hair – but it seemed so naturally Mik that it was hard to imagine her without it now.

"Yeah but I'd rather be in there than my next lesson – Psychology,"

"Why? Have you not done that essay you were talking about?" she asked, shrugging her backpack further on to her shoulder.

"Yeah I've done it. I meant that a certain someone is in my psychology class,"

"Oh. Right. Gotcha. Hmm… you gonna talk to her?"

"In the middle of lesson? Yeah course, I will," I scoffed. "I don't know what to do Mik. I'm so confused," I continued, my voice loosing volume as I tried to choke the words out around the ball in my throat and the tears in my eyes.

"Hey, hey, come here," she said and pulled me into a tight hug in the middle of the corridor. "It'll be alright Lilly, it's all going to be okay," she said, comforting me as the tears fell and began to soak into her blue t-shirt.

"Get a room lezzer's" I heard someone say and I pulled away but Mik held me closer.

"Piss off Traci," Mik retorted back. After a few moments, I managed to compose myself and I pulled out of the embrace and wiped my eyes. "You okay? Or shall we ditch?" smiled Mik.

"I'll be fine. I don't want her thinking I'm avoiding her… even though I might want to,"

"Yeah, don't give her the upper hand and all that,"

"Yeah. Exactly."

"So who can tell me the differences between _inter_ and _intra_-sexual selection?" asked Mrs Stevens. Her name didn't really reflect her Italian heritage but you could hear a slight hint of her accent when she spoke. "Miss Stewart? Are you listening?"

"Hmm? Oh um… sorry," Miley responded, her face quickly blushing.

"Try and focus Miss Stewart. Now tell me, inter and intra-sexual selection – what are they?"

"Oh um… okay," she said as she shuffled in her seat to sit up straighter. "_Intra_-sexual selection is mate competition which is basically one person competing against another to win the girl and reproduce. Um, _inter_-sexual selection is about choice. One person choosing another due to preference,"

"Good. But remember class, sexual selection doesn't just apply to people…" said Mrs Stevens before proceeding to give examples of animals and sexual selection. Miley's explanation of inter-sexual selection had put me on edge – 'choosing a mate due to preference'… that had homosexuality written all over it. Was she gay? No, I'm reading too much into it – it is the definition after all.

Miley turned her head slowly to glance over at me sat alone in the corner and gave me a weak smile. I smiled back before quickly turning my attention elsewhere – I didn't want her getting the wrong idea, I wasn't going to c_hoose_ her if that was what she was thinking. I'm straight; 100% straight.

"Lilly," whispered Joanie from about four seats away – I preferred to sit alone, plus I got to put my legs up on the chairs next to me. I looked her way and she tossed a paper ball at me. I was about to ask her 'what the hell' when I saw my name written on the paper. I picked it up from where it had bounced off of my chest and recognised the writing as Miley's cursive, with the little heart as the dot on the i's. Bloody hell.

I unravelled the ball and saw three words which set my stomach on edge with nerves, fear, anxiety and something else I didn't quite recognise. _'Can we talk?'_ I looked up to see her watching me and I nodded at her.

"When?" she mouthed at me and I just shrugged. I wasn't particularly looking forward to talking to her at all and I didn't particularly relish the idea of explaining to the guys why I was talking to 'the enemy' in terms of High School Rivalries.

"Miss Truscott, if you'd like to face the front please," said Mrs Stevenson and I swiftly turned to face her. "And sit up and take your feet of the chair – would you do that at home?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I responded and received chuckles from my fellow students, including Miley who, before the _incident_, would normally have ignored my entire existence. I put my feet onto the floor regardless.

"Okay then Miss Attitude," she continued. Miss Attitude? Oh dear, if I'm Miss Attitude then she's Mrs Obvious! Who doesn't put their feet up at home? A bet the bloody Queen of England slouches in her throne with her feet up! "Would you care to explain Buss' study of 37 cultures?"

"I sure would," I said sarcastically. "Buss studied 37 cultures – obviously – and found that women desired mates with 'good financial prospects' more than men. And men are more concerned with physical attractiveness and prefer younger women which are both signs of fertility. He also found that both sexes wanted mates who were intelligent, kind and dependable." I said with a grin, I knew she'd be impressed – the little skater girl who sat at the back on her own was not exactly her first choice to be the intelligent one.

"Y-yes, well done," she said, obviously shocked. "But why does it lack validity?" she asked, almost desperate to catch me out.

"Because it only gives us an _indication_ of expressed preferences rather than what actually happens in reality," I told her smugly.

"Yes… well… that's correct," Mrs Stevens said, obviously a bit miffed that she couldn't catch me out.

"If that's true then what does happen in reality?" asked one of the girls on the front row.

"In reality – men don't care about you as long as they get their end away," Miley surprised everyone by saying. She must have said it by accident as she seemed a little surprised to see that everyone was looking at her. "Did I say that out loud?" she asked shyly, her face blushing. She glanced around and saw that everyone nodded.

At that second the final bell went. Home time. I saw Miley mutter something under her breath as everyone began packing their stuff away. I'm not that good at lip-reading but it looked like 'Saved by the bell.'

I didn't particularly hurry out of the class but I somehow beat Miley out of the class and I didn't wait for her, for this 'talk'. I went straight down the hall and down to the ground floor and to my locker. I span the dial and it clicked open and my skateboard fell out of its position as usual, into my awaiting arms. I seriously need a bigger locker – or less text books. People began jostling behind me and I received an elbow in my back and I dropped my board which ended up rolling into the mass of people heading for the exit.

Shit! Don't stand on it, don't stand on it, I chanted to myself, willing my board to survive the mass of people.

"Fuck," I heard someone exclaim and then I heard the sharp crack. That was surely my board being broken – just my bloody luck. I couldn't see what was happening because of the people but they were soon dwindling away. I waited anxiously by my locker while the crowd dispersed, my fingers crossed and muttering prayers that my precious board would be okay.

I had no such luck. As usual. My deck was split down the centre in a clean line lengthways. Marvellous, now I've gotta fork out my non-existent money for a new board; there was no way it could be repaired. I picked up my destroyed board and just held it for a moment, treasuring the memories we'd had together.

"Y-you okay?" asked a shy voice from behind me. The voice was timid and quiet but startled me none the less.

"Shit," I jumped up from my kneeling position, realising how pathetic I must have looked almost crying over my broken board in the middle of the corridor. I turned to see who had spoken and saw Miley stood there clutching her Psychology textbook tight to her chest.

"Broken?" she asked unnecessarily, nodding at my board.

"It seems so," I sighed, "I have a lovely 40 minute walk home now,"

"Um… I could give you a ride if you want,"

"Err, its okay. I can walk. Plus you live at the other side of town to me anyway," I turned her down politely… I didn't really like the idea of being alone with her when I wasn't sure where we stood. Was she attracted to me? Or did she just want to forget about all this crap too?

"It's no trouble. I could take you home and then get to mine in half the time it'd take you to walk home,"

"Um… okay," I reasoned. It did beat walking all that way lugging a broken board. I shrugged my bag onto my shoulder and started towards the door, Miley hanging slightly behind, still holding her textbook tight to her chest. "Where'd you park?" I asked when we got outside. There were only a few cars left in the lot as the majority of the school had already left, but I still couldn't spot Miley's car.

"It's the red Audi just down here," she said, pointing out the vehicle. I knew which car was hers, everyone new the Head Cheerleaders 'sweet ride' of a red Audi TT roadster. Even I, who wasn't all that interested in cars, had to admit it was a sexy car.

She reached the car first and unlocked it. I opened the passenger door and got in carefully, dreading that I'd catch something and ruin the paintwork or something. I dropped my bag into the footwell and kept my broken board on my knee as she strapped herself in and put the key in the ignition.

"Do you mind being topless?" she asked as she adjusted her mirror.

"What?" I exclaimed, ready to jump out of the car.

"Shit, no I didn't mean that. Sorry. The roof. It's a convertible… do you want it up or leaving down?" she blurted, obviously embarrassed about what she'd said.

"Oh. Right. I don't mind," I said, my heart racing.

"I'll leave it down," she said more to herself than to me as she pulled out of the parking bay and out onto the road. "Where do you live?" she asked as we came to the traffic lights just outside of the school and waited for the light to turn green.

"Down Old Rocky Drive… do you know it?" I added. She was a Kensington girl; the likelihood she knew where 'normal' people lived was highly unlikely.

"It's near Silver Point, isn't it?" she asked. Silver Point was about 10 minute walk from my house along the cliff side; it was a huge grassy knoll that people often camped on or walked their dogs or something. It was really pretty… I don't know why it was called 'Silver' Point though.

"Yeah,"

"I bet you're wondering how I knew where the 'normal people' live, huh?"

"How the hell did you know that?" I responded, watching her as she pulled out a pair of aviator sunglasses from the glove compartment. She had to lean across me to do so which she seemed slightly nervous about as she took great care not to touch me at all. However, her hair trailed along my leg and goosebumps broke out on the flesh there and I could smell the fruity scent of her shampoo emanating from her dark locks.

"I'm not _all_ about popularity y'know. I like to just be _me_ sometimes. 'Head Cheerleader Miley Stewart' is a lot to live up to everyday – it's tiring. I go to Silver Point quite often to just chill out,"

"Oh, cool. I've never seen you there before,"

"I've seen you. And your friends," she smiled, the chrome sunglasses reflecting my own image back at me. She pushed her hair back with one hand, the other set firmly on the wheel, and I got another waft of that fruity shampoo. She really did have gorgeous hair.

"You have?"

"Uh huh," she agreed as the light turned green and she put the car in gear and turned left at the junction. "You can see the parking lot where you guys skate from the bench by the trees – I usually sit there, out of the way of everyone. And I've seen you walk your dog there too. He's cute,"

"Yeah, you should have seen him as a puppy," I smiled thinking of how adorable my five year old Australian Shepherd was.

"What's he called?" she asked turning left at the next corner.

"Romeo," I told her.

"Fitting," she smiled. "So… about the um… about the weekend,"

"Yeah… um… We were both bladdered and had no control,"

"Exactly," she agreed, pushing her sunglasses a little further up her nose.

"Hell, I can't even remember anything; which I guess is a good thing," I half-chuckled.

"You can't remember _anything_?" she said, her voice higher than before.

"No, why can you?" I asked, panicked slightly.

"Yeah. I remembered not long after waking up. I woke up naked at like at two-ish and my brother unintentionally jogged my memory and flashes came back to me. But I can remember it _all_ now,"

"Oh," was all I could say in response. So she knew who had initiated it… she also knew _what_ we did… as in _everything. _Oh god.

"When did you leave?" she asked suddenly and the question caught me off guard. "When I woke up you were gone… I couldn't remember why I was naked, hell I didn't know I _was _naked – I ended up flashing our housekeeper,"

"Um… it was about one." I said, avoiding looking at her. I couldn't tell what she was thinking; her emotions were hidden behind those sunglasses.

"Oh. So you left with out me knowing," she said. I didn't know whether it was a statement or a question.

"Yeah. What did you want me to do? Be there when you woke up? Help myself to a cuppa? I was freaked out Miley, I woke up naked and in someone else's bed. Not only a _girl's_ bed but _your _bed, Miley, _yours_!"

"I know – you don't think I know that. You don't think I know what you're going through? I slept with a girl too you know. We're in exactly the same boat Lilly, except I remember and you don't,"

"I know… I'm sorry," I lowered my voice, "I'm sorry for shouting I'm just in weird place right now,"

"So am I. It's not just you Lilly, I'm freaking out too. And trust me, when you actually remember what happened… it freaks you out a hell of a lot more,"

"I bet," I muttered. "Again, I'm sorry,"

"Yeah, me too,"

"Can we just forget it ever happened? Completely erase that night from history? It's only going to eat us up if we don't, and I doubt either of us wants to be remembering that night on our wedding day," I smiled weakly but her face, from what I could see, remained impassive.

"Yeah. Sure,"

"Um… can I ask you something?" I said after several minutes silence. She nodded. "Are you… have you ever thought… basically, do you like girls?"

"Do I what? How dare you ask me if I'm gay, Truscott? I'm straight!" she protested, her knuckles turning white on the steering wheel. She used my surname like all the Cheerbitches did and it really pissed me off – but I guess I deserved it; I had just accused her of being gay after all.

"Sorry. I just wanted to know if were both were truly in the same boat. We're both straight – that makes everything so much easier,"

"Easier? Easier? What the hell? You came on to me, Truscott,"

"Wait, what? I did what? Hell, no! I would never come on to you; no matter how bladdered I was. I might have ended up reciprocating what ever happened but I sure as hell didn't start it!"

"How would you know?" she exclaimed, "You can't even remember!"

"I know myself well enough to know that I could be paralytic and not come on to _you_,"

"Oh thanks for that, it's really appreciated," she said sarcastically, "You did come on to me Lilly. You kissed me first. Twice actually. You kissed me _twice_ before I returned it. You initiated it, not me, you! So don't blame me for your gay tendencies,"

"I'm straight! Completely and 100% straight,"

"Sure. Because all completely heterosexual people go around sleeping with the same sex after a few drinks,"

"A few? I was completely gone!"

"Not completely because you seemed to know what you were doing," she argued which stopped me in my tracks.

"I did?"

"Yeah," she responded, her voice quieter and her cheeks flushing slightly either from anger or embarrassment… maybe both.

"Oh god!" I sighed and dropped my head into my hands. "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you," she told me, "We were drunk,"

"But you just said-"

"Forget what I said. I shouldn't have said anything. You wanted to forget it and I should have left it at that," she sighed. "Which house is it?"

"That one on the end," I told her. "Wait a second, you said something before – about how straight people go after the same sex… are you not straight? You said you were straight, but that comment…"

"I don't know alright! Is that enough for you? I don't know whether I'm straight or not. I've always thought I was but that was before I'd had any experience with a girl. And now I'm all confused and everything's changed and it's fucked everything up," she said as she pulled up. "Just get out. Forget this all happened. Just go home and play straight girl,"

"Miley, I can't just leave you when you're like this," I said as I watched a tear roll down her cheek from under her sunglasses.

"Yes you can. If you sleep with the supposed enemy and then leave me all alone then you can leave me in a car,"

"Now that is not fair,"

"Life isn't fair but the world keeps on turning doesn't it – people have to get over things. I'll be fine, just get the hell out of my car,"

"Okay okay, if that's what you want," I said as I opened the door.

"No Lilly, what I want is to know what the hell is going off in my head. That's what I want. I'm just so sick of this mess, this drama we've put our selves through. So sick and tired of it,"

"Miley, your confusing the hell out of me. We said we were forgetting about it then the next second were not and now you're kicking me out of your car. Where do we stand?"

"Apparently nowhere! I don't know," she said, obviously frustrated. "Can we just talk another time? I really need to go scream into a pillow or something right now,"

"Uh… sure," I said and jumped out of the car, grabbing my bag and broken board just before Miley slammed the car in to reverse and did a high speed 180 before driving off into the distance.

"What the fuck?" I said to myself as the red Audi disappeared from sight. I was more confused now than before.

**AN: No Liley-lovin' in this chapter but don't fret - it's coming ;) ****Next chapter will be back to Miley's POV I think. What do you think of this chapter? Good? Bad? Terrible? Leave a review, they are so helpful and really make my day. Thanks to everyone favouriting and alerting and those of you who are reviewing - I love you guys. Stay tuned x**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Okay this is only a short one in Miley's POV simply because I didn't know how else to fill it out... It was originally longer but I changed my mind and deleted like 3000 words because I just wasn't 'feeling it'. Anyway, this chapter isn't a Kesha song because I couldn't find one that fit so I used The Veronicas, one of my most favourite bands (**_Well, most favourite girls ;)_**) Enjoy x**

**Chapter Four: **Insomnia

Well that went well, Miley. You promised yourself not to cry and not to mention that you think you might like girls. You also promised yourself that you wouldn't even think that you liked girls. And you're still thinking about liking girls.

"Shut up brain," I muttered as I sat on the bench at Silver Point, my hands wrapped around my legs and my knees under my chin. Looking down at the parking lot, I could see a few skaters but I didn't recognise any of them as Lilly's friends. These guys had some skills, I thought as I watched them perform tricks, that probably had proper names but I didn't know them, sliding down rails and hopping over people who crouched down. They were good but from what I'd seen, Lilly and her friends were better.

Miley, stop thinking about Lilly! You're only going to torture yourself more. Okay, you slept together – big deal. She's _straight_ so just forget about her. I sighed… she might be straight but I don't think I am… at least not anymore. I couldn't push the images of Lilly's naked body entwined with mine, her soft lips dancing with my heated ones, her delicious sex… stop it Miley! Just stop thinking about it! But I couldn't… if could I would but I just can't – the memories were too real, too good… too goddamn arousing. I wanted to touch her again…. I needed to, I needed to touch her, to kiss her again just to be sure… to be sure whether I actually liked girls or if it was just my imagination about how much I'd enjoyed shagging her.

"Fuck!" I said, startled as my phone blared its ringtone. Traci had text me. _Where the fuck are you? The game is on Friday – we need as much practice as possible!_ It read. Could they not do _anything_ without me? I come up with the choreography, I let them come round to practice when the school gym is being used, and I have to come up with the music… everything. Can they not just _practice_ without me?

_On my way_. I sent the message back to her, rubbed my eyes and put my sunglasses back on before walking down the grassy hill to my car. I never parked in the parking lot for fear that a skater would try and jump over it or crash into it or something so I parked just up the road. By the time I got to my car, Traci had sent me another text.

_You better hurry or we'll vote you off the team,_ she said. What the hell? That was Traci for you, the tiniest little opening and she's in there – desperate to be the most popular person in school. I jumped in my car and sped off towards my house. I don't even know why I was friends with Traci – she was only using me for my popularity and I hate people like that…

Within ten minutes I was pushing the button on the intercom outside the gates. We only had security guards when we had a party or something going off.

"Maurice it's me; open up," I said into the intercom and the big iron gates swung open and I drove up the long drive. Instead of taking my car straight to the garage, I turned towards the grounds where I could see the girls lounging on the ground, sunning themselves. I parked up on the gravel a few yards away from them and got out.

"It's about time Miley," said Amber, looking at her nails as if she were completely uninterested in anything except her cuticles.

"You know it is possible to practice without me every so often," I told them and continued before any of them could say anything in response. "But I'm here now so get off your arses and put the music on. Like you said Traci – the game _is_ this Friday after all."

Friday came around pretty quickly and I think Lilly was avoiding me. She never looked up in psychology and I hardly ever saw her in the corridors. I knew she walked home though, because her skateboard was still broken… I'd offer to take her home but the last time didn't go that smoothly and I doubt she'd want to get into a car with a potential lesbian. I still didn't know how I felt about girls. I didn't really know how I felt about Lilly, as a person I don't really know her but I still wanted to kiss her again. Shut up Miley, you're about to go out there!

"You ready, girls?" I asked the other cheerleaders who were stretching behind me. They nodded. "Alright then, let's go." And with that we all jogged out onto the field where the crowd erupted into cheering.

"Okay girls. One. Two. One, two three – now," I said as the music shot our cue and we launched into our number, the crowd cheering all the while. I'd chosen Insomnia by The Veronicas as our track and I couldn't help feeling how ironic a choice it was – I wasn't sleeping of late: I just couldn't get Lilly out of my mind and every time I tried to sleep, my eyes just popped right back open as if my own body were trying to torture me like my brain was.

As we performed I couldn't help but scan the crowd for her, for Lilly. I don't really know why I did it – I knew that was a line I would never be able to cross but I looked regardless. She wasn't there. Come to think of it, I've never seen her at a game, or her friends. I can't say I blame her; soccer wasn't really that interesting – just some testosterone-fuelled boys running around a field really.

"Go Pirates!" I yelled with the rest of the team as our number came to an end. Four weeks of intense practice for a three-minute performance… it hardly seemed fair considering the crowd had come to see soccer and not us. Oh well, it'd help get me into a good college.

The team and I ran off of the field as the soccer team ran on. We were supposed to sit and watch and cheer along but I didn't feel up to it tonight.

"Miley, where are you going?" asked Amber and I stopped in my tracks.

"I'm tired. I think I'm just gonna go chill till the half-time performance,"

"What's up with you lately? You don't seem yourself,"

"I wish I knew," I said before continuing to walk away. I was just heading behind the bleachers to go back to the changing rooms when something hard hit me in the back of the head and knocked me down. "Fuck," I mumbled as I pushed myself off of the dusty floor. Behind me sat a bright orange Frisbee. "Where the hell did you come from?" I asked the inanimate object as I picked it up off of the ground. Why are you talking to a fucking Frisbee Miley – it's not going to answer you!

A loud cheer erupted from the people on the bleacher behind me; the Pirates must have scored. I looked around to see if there was anyone who looked like they were missing a Frisbee but I saw no one around. Then something caught my attention, someone climbing the metal fence. The lights didn't quite reach there so the figure was in shadow as they dropped a good six feet to the ground and bounced back up as if it were only two. The figure seemed to stop and stare at me for a moment before taking a step into the light. Lilly.

She walked slowly towards me, her eyes more on the orange disc in my hand rather than at me.

"Yours?" I asked unnecessarily as she came to stand before me and she nodded. "It just hit me in the head,"

"Sorry. Oliver has a shit throw," she explained meeting my eyes for the first time in almost a week.

"You've been avoiding me," I said simply and she nodded shyly again. "I'm not going to jump you if that's what you've been thinking," I continued almost angrily. "We slept together while under the influence – big deal. You're straight and I don't know what I am but when I see you, my first thought is _not_ 'I want to fuck that girl'. So don't act childish by avoiding me." I said, even though technically I did want to, but I was hardly going to say that was I?

"I'm sorry. You just creeped me out in the car. It was as if you wanted… well, me," she explained while looking at her feet.

"I know. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you,"

"Okay," she said softly, pushing her sneakers around in the dirt causing little billows of dust to dance in the small amount of light that was actually here. "So do you?" she asked, still not looking at me.

"Do I what?"

"Um… like me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I-I don't know,"

"What does that _mean_? Surely it's a yes or no question. Miley, just tell me because this can't get sorted unless we know where each other stands–" Lilly's risen voice was cut off as I pushed my lips onto hers. I kept it brief and pulled away after a few moments and just watched her shocked face.

"Okay?" I said with my lips tingling from the contact I'd had with Lilly's and this time without alcohol dulling the sensation. I guess I knew the answer to that question I kept asking myself – I like girls, no, I like Lilly. I like her a lot.

"W-what? W-why?" She stammered her hand slowly going up to her mouth and her fingers grazing her lips as if she couldn't quite believe that I'd kissed her.

"I'm sorry. You wanted an answer and … well… now you have one,"

"S-so… you like me?" she asked timidly, her fingers still touching her lips.

"It seems like it," I shrugged, trying not to make a big deal out of it even though to me it was.

"Okay," she said softly, this time keeping eye contact with me. "Um… Can I, I mean, I-I … I need to see… something… I mean…"

"Huh?" I questioned the babbling blonde. She sighed before taking a step towards me and I felt my heart rate pick up more than before. What was she doing?

"I-I need to… I need to see," she mumbled before she slowly put her hand behind my head and very slowly edged closer until our mouths were mere millimetres apart. "I just need to see," she repeated in a bare whisper as if justifying it to herself. I watched as her eyes closed and her face became softer as she touched her lips onto mine. I didn't know what to do… I didn't know what she was doing – what did she need to see?

I couldn't not do anything so I closed my eyes too and reciprocated the kiss – slowly and timidly, not wanting to scare her away. I felt her tense and I stopped immediately, but kept my lips on hers; I wasn't going to be the one to pull away. She pulled away slowly, her eyes still closed and her hand still on the back of my head.

"Oh," she said as she finally opened her eyes. Those soft blue eyes quickly grew guarded and fearful as she tugged the Frisbee out of my hand and ran to the fence then jumped and grasped the wire some three feet high before scrambling further up. What the hell? What was she doing?

"Lilly! Lilly, wait! What's going on? Lilly!" I yelled as I ran to the fence but she was already on the other side and scarpering away. I hooked my fingers through the wire and attempted to climb after her but I only made it about a foot of the ground before my fingers felt like they were being cut in half from the thin metal and I fell back to the ground. Fuck!

What the hell had just happened? I tell her I like her and she kisses me claiming she needs to 'see something' then she runs away. What did she need to see? What _did _she see? Why did she run away? Am I that disgusting to her that she has to run from me… no, it can't be that because if I were so disgusting she wouldn't have kissed me. Would she? Why did she kiss me?

**AN: Good? Bad? Review please - I keep saying it but it doenst make it any less true; they really make my day. Next chapter in Lilly's POV **_**(**already partially written :P**)**_

**Happy International Day Against Homophobia - 17th May 2010. Enough is enough!**

** Anyways, review and leave your thoughts and most importantly - Stay tuned x**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Heyy, btw there was a Skins reference in the last chapter but I forgot to mention. This chapter is called 'Can't Fight This Feeling' but it doesn't actually feature in the fic but I thought it summed it up pretty well :) **

**This chapter also includes Miley's pov nearer the end which starts just before Lilly's ends... That doesn't make much sense but once you read it I hope that it does :) Enjoy x**

**Chapter Five: **Can't Fight This Feeling

I'd kissed her. I'd kissed Miley Stewart… _sober_. What was I thinking? I was thinking that I might have possibly felt something when she kissed me under the bleachers… I just had to be sure. And guess what, I fucking did! I fucking felt something in the pit of my stomach when our lips met… fucking fantastic. Well there goes that whole 100% straight thing. But can it be classed as gay when you don't want it? Surely not…

How could I even have felt _anything_? No matter how small… It's Miley Stewart! She's head fucking cheerbitch for crying out loud. She's like your sworn enemy; the whole Skaters Vs Cheerleaders thing… how could I possibly feel something for her? No, Lilly. You _don't. _Keep saying it and it shall become truth. It's like that quote they told us in History the other year: 'make it simple, keep saying it and eventually people will believe it'. So, _simple_ – I'm straight and feel no attraction to Miley. _Keep saying it_ – I'm straight and feel no attraction to Miley. _Believe it_ - … that should happen at some point… I hope. I scoffed at myself; I really shouldn't be taking advice from that quote – Hitler did say it after all.

My cell bleeped its annoying tone – why do some phones not allow you change the message tone? It's so irritating. I picked it up off of my dresser and saw it was Mikayla.

_You alright? You didn't txt me back after you ran off last night. Please txt me, I need to know you're okay xx P.S Oliver wants his Frisbee back _

I smiled as I read that last bit; why did he even have a Frisbee – he was crap at it. Although I have to admit, last night was fun – playing Frisbee, hanging out with the guys and then Oliver had to try and show off and ended up throwing the damn thing over into the school field… and me being the nice person I am - or the person with the most bad luck - ended up scaling the fence and kissing Miley. Oh well done Lilly, you've brought yourself back to that wonderful topic – just stop it. Text Mik back and forget all about it.

_I'm fine. And tell Oliver that I'm holding it ransom __x_

I hadn't been awake long and had only just got dressed. The sun was up and shining brightly… if I had a skateboard I'd be out there but the damn thing was still broken! Grr! And I can't afford a new one! Double Grr!

_You sure you're okay? I can come round if you need me too xx _The next text read.

_Honest, I'm fine. There's no need for you to come round x _I sent back and within moments I received a response.

_Tough I'm outside bitch!_ _Now come let me in! xx_ I read just seconds before I heard a knocking on the door downstairs. I chuckled lightly to myself – it was so Mikayla. I took two steps at a time downstairs, wanting to get to the door before Mik hammered it down. Ignoring her was never an option.

"Hey," I said as I swung open the door. I was quickly enveloped in a tight embrace which took my breath away with its suddenness. "Mik… breathing… becoming… an… issue…" I choked out and she released me.

"Sorry, I just need to make sure you know that I'm here for you,"

"Of course I know that, why would I think otherwise?" I asked her, my confusion evident in my face from what I could see in the reflection of her Ray-Bans.

"Because you ran off with no explanation last night. If you knew I was there for you, you'd have run to me or at least got me to follow," she explained, pulling off her sunglasses as she stepped into the house and tucked them onto the neck of her shirt.

"I-I just needed to be alone, that's all,"

"So when you said you were fine, you were lying to me,"

"I wasn't lying,"

"Lilly, we've been best friends since like forever. Me, you and Oliver – the three Musketeers. Oliver might be a complete donut with sawdust for brains but I can read you like a book – some serious shit is messing with your head right now and I have a pretty good idea what that might be: Miley."

"Damn it, why do I even bother to try and lie to you – you've got like a built in lie detector," I said as I shut the door and flopped onto the sofa.

"It's a gift," said Mik happily before coming to sit by my side on the sofa, her legs tucked under her and facing me to give me her full attention. "Okay, spill." she said simply.

"Okay…here goes…" I said before taking a deep breath. I looked at my hands which were fidgeting with the thread on the seam of my jeans… I wouldn't be able to say it if I looked up at my very best friend's face – what was she going to think of me. "M-Miley likes me. As in _like_ like,"

"Oh my gosh," she said, unable to contain her reaction. "Sorry, carry on."

"Erm… and she um she kissed me,"

"Fucking hell," came her response, yet again unable to contain her reaction.

"Yep," I said simply. Could I really tell her that I liked it?

"And…" she encouraged, placing her hand on mine. I sighed.

"And… I um… I kinda kissed her,"

"What? I thought you weren't gay?" she said, once again unable to keep that big mouth of hers shut. The comment may be completely innocent and only occurred due to the shock of my admission but it really hurt me, it really cut me deep. I pulled my hand from hers and got up off the sofa.

"See! This is why I ran off! This is why I tried to lie! I didn't want you to hate me!" I shouted out over the thickness in my throat. My hands were balled in tight fists but not due to anger at Mik but at myself for being so… so…. so _gay!_

"Lilly, I could never hate you!" cried Mik, standing too and heading towards me cautiously. She could obviously see how tight I was wound right now. "Lilly, I love you no matter whether you're gay, straight or some alien monster intent on destroying the world and sucking the life out of all humanity. You're my friend. No, my _best_ friend and _nothing _can change that Lilly, you hear me? _Nothing._"

She took a step closer to me and reached out to hold my hands which were still in fists. "Nothing," she repeated and I fell into her, wrapping my arms round her thin frame and holding on as tight as I could, letting the tears finally fall.

"Well, it seems the great Lilly has finally met her match. You _never _cry – even when you broke your leg and wrist when you failed that Advanced Indy Grab last year – and here we are with you crying on my shoulder again for the second time in about six days because of this girl," she said after a few minutes.

"Sorry," I mumbled and moved to pull away but she held me in place.

"Don't be sorry for crying Lilly. It shows you're _human_," she said as she stroked my hair softly, the simplest of actions which comforted me more than I thought possible. This time when I pulled back she allowed me but kept her hands on my shoulders, as if to prevent me from running away or to be ready to catch me if I crumbled under the weight of my emotions again. I wiped my eyes and smiled at my friend who returned the smile, concern in her eyes. "You like her, don't you." She said softly. I knew it wasn't a question but a mere statement but I answered regardless.

"I don't know. I think so… but I don't want to. I want to be normal," I said wiping my eyes again as the tears ceased to stop.

"Oh honey, normal is just a word. It is _never_ what people perceive to be normal," she said as she gently pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear, "If you like this girl then that should be all that matters. Not the opinion of others… except mine," she added with a grin. "But you should know that I'm not homophobic and I could never _hate _you for falling for a girl… I just want you to be happy,"

"I know," I said, absorbing what she just said. "But how can I fall for someone when I don't really know them. She's head cheerbitch and for as long as I remember that's pretty much defined her – popularity, queen of the school… what if it turns out to be a whole big mess?"

"Then _get to know her_. I doubt that the whole popularity thing is what _actually_ defines her, I know for a fact that you wouldn't be attracted to someone that superficial. Try being friends first then see where it leads,"

"Why are you so good at this advice thing?" I laughed lightly.

"Maybe I'm an all-seeing, all-knowing omnipotent goddess in human form," she grinned before her face turned more serious. "Or maybe it's because you're my best friend."

"Thank you." I said as I pulled her into another hug. "You're the best."

"I know," she said happily.

"You are so full of yourself," I chuckled.

"And you love me anyways."

"Romeo, shush," I said as my dog went wild as the mailman headed up the drive. He was the sweetest dog in the world until it came to mailman. I squeezed myself through he door, trying to keep the dog inside the house to stop him attacking the innocent mailman.

"Hey Lilly," he greeted as he searched he got closer.

"Hiya Mike," I replied giving him a small wave. He rooted around in his satchel and took out our mail and handed it over. Romeo's barks grew louder on the other side of the door.

"I'll never understand why dogs don't like me," Mike laughed before turning back down the drive. "See you tomorrow Lilly,"

"See ya," I said as I squeezed back into the house.

"Anything interesting?" asked Mik from the kitchen where she had her head in the fridge getting herself a soda.

"Um… bill, bill, bill," I said leafing though the mail. "Ooh my magazine subscription's here," I said as I opened the cellophane wrapped magazine. I flicked through the pages, I'd read it in full later. "Here, you can read it if you want." I said as I tossed the magazine at Mik as she came back in the living room.

"Thanks," she said and began flicking through it herself. "Hey, look at this – you need to buy this," she said pointing at one of the latest skateboards.

"As if I could afford that Mik," I scoffed, depressed of my lack of skateboard and lack of money to purchase one.

"What about a part time job? I'd get one too to help you raise the money,"

"I couldn't ask you to do that. I'll just have to work for it," I said glumly… I didn't relish the idea of a part time job after my last one where my boss came on to me _every fucking day_! He was old enough to be my father… maybe older! Ugh, I thought as I shuddered.

"What's up with Romeo?" Mik asked and I turned to where she was looking. He was sat pressed up against the door with those sad puppy dog eyes of his.

"I think he wants to go for a walk," I said and Mik jumped to her feet.

"Come on then, let's take him. It beats being inside all day."

We were just nearing Silver Point when Mik suddenly stopped.

"What's up?" I asked her.

"Nothing. Would you mind going to get me a soda?" she said randomly, pointing at the store across the street.

"What? You just had one at mine,"

"Get me some chips then,"

"Huh? What did your last slave die of?"

"Not obeying orders," she grinned but something seemed off about that smile – as if she were trying to cover something up. She may be able to read me like a book but I sure as hell couldn't read her.

"Oh fine!" I said handing her the leash. "I'll be right back."

I trudged across the street and into the store. I headed straight to the aisle with chips and grabbed the first bag I saw and paid for them. I'd just reached the door when I saw what Mik must have seen. A red Audi roadster parked not far from where we'd been stood. How could I have missed that? And where the hell was Mik?

I looked up and down and couldn't see her. She'd run off with my dog! No, don't be stupid Lilly. I crossed the street and saw Mik heading back over to me, Romeo wagging his tail by her side. When she clocked me standing there she picked up her pace and reached me quickly.

"What the hell Mik?" I asked, shoving the chips into her hand.

"What? Romeo wanted to go over there." she supplied in response. I didn't believe her.

"Where is she?" I asked her.

"I don't know what you mean,"

"Miley. I saw her car and I have no doubt you found her and said something to her,"

"Do you really think I would do such a thing?" she asked, her face a picture of innocence. She grinned then pushed the leash into my hand before claiming she had somewhere to be and headed down the street. I watched her leave and then just before she turned the corner she turned around to me and pointed towards where she'd walked from, mouthing 'Go.' Then she disappeared around the corner.

"What is she up to boy?" I said to Romeo who just looked up at me, his big brown eyes friendly and asking for me to take him for his walk. "Come on then," I said as I headed over the grass into Silver Point. He pulled on the leash towards the trees which bordered the highest part of the hill. That's when I saw the bench that Miley had mentioned to me before… and she was laid upon it, her hair cascading down off of the bench and her arms in the air holding a book above her face.

I took a deep breath then headed towards her, Romeo leading the way with his tail wagging manically.

[Miley]

"Good morning, Miley," smiled Maurice as I came down into the kitchen early the next day. "You're up earlier than usual."

"I didn't sleep very well last night," I told him. Understatement of the year; I'd had a total of about four minutes sleep last night, I just couldn't turn my brain off. Questions about Lilly were circling my mind all night.

"That's too bad," he said, "Do you want me to make you some coffee?"

"Please," I told him as I took a seat at the breakfast table while he set about making the coffee. There was still a slight awkwardness between us since the um 'flashing' incident last Sunday – he no longer came in to wake me in a morning.

"How was the game last night?"

"Pirates won by five," I told him as he placed the mug of hot coffee in front of me.

"What are you doing today then?"

"The next game isn't till next month so we've got about a week before practice picks up again. I thought I might go down to the beach or go for a walk or something,"

"On your own?" he asked, almost surprised.

"Sure. Why not? It's not like I have anyone to go with anyway,"

"What about Traci? Or Jake?"

"Please, Jake and I are _so _over! And Traci is hardly someone I want to spend the day with,"

"I thought you to were friends," he said, placing a croissant in front of me.

"More like two people who tolerate each other because they have similar goals," I explained as I tore a piece of the croissant off and popped it in my mouth. Damn Maurice could cook. "These are really good,"

"Why thank you; baked them fresh this morning," he said simply but his grin told me that my comment had just made his day.

At around 10ish I was parking up my car in the usual spot on the road near Silver Point. I locked my car and walked the distance to my bench and sat down. For a few moments I simply admired the beautiful scenery as the gentle sea breeze caused the longish grass to sway and the trees of the forest behind me crackled with the sound of the leaves brushing against each other. The sun was bright and warm, the sky wide and a bright blue with birds dipping and gliding, basking in the sunlight as they chirped happily. I could hear the crash of the waves and smell the ocean from up here; I knew that if I went to sit by the cliff edge I could watch those waves crash against the shore and let the salty air wash over me.

I smiled before lying back on the bench, putting my feet up and opening up the book I'd brought with me. I'd only read a few pages when I heard someone clear their throat beside me. God, there were plenty of benches – why did they want to sit on mine? I pulled my eyes away from the text to glance at the person who was stood over me. I recognised her immediately from those Ray-bans and the star shaved into her hair.

"Gomez?" I questioned. What was she doing here? They usually skate down in the lot.

"It's Mikayla." She said simply, her sunglasses hiding the emotion in her eyes. "I just came to warn you,"

"Warn me?"

"About Lilly," she revealed ominously and I sat up at once.

"Is something wrong? Has something happened?"

I saw a slight smile touch her lips before her face fell back into indifference. "No. I came to say that she likes you and to tell you that if you _ever_ hurt her – no matter how small – you will pay for it. You break her heart and I'll break your face,"

"I don't ever plan on hurting her," I told her confidently but my heart was pounding. I knew this girl was serious and I knew she could deliver on her promise.

"Good." She said before turning on her heel and heading towards the street. I noticed for the first time that she was holding onto a leash and that the dog looked a hell of a lot like Lilly's. Why was she walking Lilly's dog? Was Lilly here?

A few minutes passed and I lay back down to read my book again. I was fed up of all these questions that went thought my mind – nothing was black and white anymore. I'd read only a few pages, not taking in any of the text as I heard someone approach. Had Gomez – I mean, Mikayla – returned? What was she going to say this time?

I looked up but the figure was stood right in the sunlight, their shadow passing over my face and the sun shone from around their figure, giving them an almost angelic aura. Then I saw her smile weakly and I realised it wasn't Mikayla. I sat up and put my book down on the ground.

"Hey Lilly," I smiled.

"Hey," she responded back and I noticed that she had her dog by her side, watching me intently and wagging his tail manically. Did she know Mik had been to see me? Did Lilly send her? Stop with the questions Miley!

I put out my hand to stroke the Australian Sheppard and he immediately put his paws on the bench to attempt to lick my face.

"You're friendly aren't you?" I said as I scratched that place behind his ears which all dogs went crazy for.

"I'm sorry," Lilly surprised me by saying. I looked up at her to see that the sunlight caught the single tear which fell down her cheek.

"Are you alright?" I said stupidly – since when is a crying girl 'alright'. Never in the history in the world has a girl cried because she was 'alright'.

"I-I don't know," she admitted and I patted the bench beside me. She sat down but kept her gaze anywhere but on me. "I've never been this confused before. I'm not used to being confused… it's always been easy for me: right or wrong, yes or no, black or white… but now I've been thrown into this huge grey area where up is down and right is left,"

"Um… is there anything I can do to help?" I asked, not knowing how else to respond.

"Build a time machine," she scoffed and wiped her cheeks before turning to face me. "It's you Miley. You _confuse _me. A week ago I thought I was just Lilly; just normal _straight_ Lilly... normal straight Lilly who _never _cried. And now, I'm crying _again_ and I don't think I can call myself straight anymore,"

"Last night… you said you wanted to see something. Then you kissed me…" I left the question hanging to see what she'd say.

"When you kissed me I thought I felt something… but I wasn't sure. So I – I kissed you to see if I really _did_ feel something…"

"And did you?" I asked after a moment's silence. She didn't say anything but she just looked at me as more tears fell from her eyes. "I'll take that as a yes,"

"But I don't want to! I just want to be normal," she sobbed and I slowly moved my hand towards her, not wanting to frighten her away, and wiped the tears which adorned her beautiful face.

"What ever people consider normal; it never is," I told her softly.

"You sound just like Mik," she commented.

"Well she's right. You know, I'm going through this too Lilly; I thought I was straight till I met you. Maybe it's only you, I don't know, but what I do know is that it's not going to change anytime soon,"

"I'm sorry," she apologised again. "I'm acting like I'm the only one going through this shit and you're sat right here feeling exactly the same… only you seem more accepting that you might be gay – why?"

"I don' know. Maybe because I'm fed up of the stereotype of being the head cheerbitch – yes, we know that's what you call us," I added as I saw the shock on her face. "Maybe I want something to define me as just a girl rather than this façade I put up everyday, maybe because I'm tired of being someone I no longer want to be. Or maybe it's as simple as _I like you_,"

"Oh," she paused, "But aren't you scared of what people will think? What your friends will say – whether they'll hate and abandon you?"

"I don't have any to be abandoned by. Sure I have Traci and Amber and the others but they aren't my friends. When I first moved here, Traci noticed the attention I was getting and how popular I seemed to be and she jumped on the bandwagon to get popular by association. She convinced me to try out cheerleading as it is the 'power house' of popularity and it seemed I was a natural… I don't think she even likes me. She's just waiting for me to slip up so that she can take my spot as head cheerleader and as much as I don't care for it that much lately, I hardly want Traci to be 'queen of the school',"

"Oh… so you don't have even one true friend?"

"No, not really. I did back home in Tennessee but after my mom died… we moved here and I haven't spoken to Travis since,"

"Do you not miss home?"

"Sometimes. I think I miss the simplicity of it most – no one had ulterior motives or secrets. It was easy,"

"I wish I had that," she said before pausing again, her blue eyes watching me intently. "What are we going to do about us?"

"I'll be content with whatever you decide – I'm not going to pressure you into deciding either way," I said and she paused before she responded, simply watching me, curiosity in her blue eyes.

"Truth be told, I always thought you were like Super-bitch or something because of the cheerleading and the popularity and everything… but you seem so different to them now, like really down to earth. It's like you're a stranger… and how can you decide whether you want to be with someone if you don't know them,"

I felt my face flush and my heart rate pick up at her words – she was thinking about being with me. But she didn't know me… same as how I didn't really know her. I didn't know what made her laugh, what made her cry, what she liked, what she didn't like… we _were_ strangers.

"Hi, I'm Miley Stewart," I smiled widely and offered her my hand.

She looked confused for a second then grinned and took my hand, "I'm Lilly Truscott." She said then laughed as her dog jumped up onto the bench too, "And this; this is Romeo," she chuckled lightly.

"Nice to meet you," I said softly as I realised how soft her hands were. I couldn't remember what they'd felt like on that night… my mind was obviously more concerned with other sensations. I'd always thought they might have been kinda rough from skateboarding but her hands were unbelievably soft in mine.

"I better get home…" she said as she took her hand back and stood, pulling Romeo down from the bench.

"I could give you a lift if you like. My car's just down there," I said pointing towards the road.

"You don't have to,"

"I know, but I'm offering nonetheless. I have nothing else to do all day,"

"Okay," she smiled and we set off walking, Romeo pulling hard on his leash with his nose practically glued to the ground.

We spent the short car journey in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. I remembered which house was hers and I pulled right onto the empty drive. Romeo seemed to recognise where he was as he started wagging his tail excitedly, wanting to jump out of the car.

"Romeo, settle!" ordered Lilly and he immediately obeyed and sat down calmly in the footwell by Lilly's feet.

"So I guess I'll see you around," I said as she went to open the door. She turned and smiled.

"Yeah," she paused and then held out her hand once more. "Friends?"

"Friends." I said firmly as I shook her hand for the second time. She climbed out of my car and headed to the side door of her house, she opened it and Romeo ran on in. I watched as she turned to smile at me once more and gave a small wave. I grinned and waved back before she went inside.

I was in an unbelievably good mood as I put the car in reverse and backed off her drive before driving home.

"Hey Maurice, Jackson, Dad," I said happily as I skipped into the kitchen.

"Someone's in a good mood," said Jackson from the table.

"Yep," I agreed as I grabbed a glass of water.

"What's made you so happy?" my dad asked coming over to stand by me.

"I made a new friend," I grinned and hugged him.

"As long as it isn't going to be another Jake Ryan,"

"No. She's not another Jake Ryan," I said before heading upstairs.

"Don't forget, we have to be there for six tonight to do prep and things Miley," my dad called after me.

"I know!" I shouted back as I headed into my room. It was only just 12 which meant I had plenty of time before I had to be at the club.

**AN: 10 points to whoever spotted the South of Nowhere quote :) I'm not that happy with this chapter tbh but I couldn't think of any other way to write it but I hope you guys like it and I hope you leave reviews - I love reading them whether they are short ones, long ones (I love long ones), ones which point out grammar errors etc, just leave a review and know that you've made me happy :) Stay tuned x**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Sorry for the delay but I've been busy. I've now officially finished Sixth Form... only have to go in for exams now. Anyway, SoN quote was 'Whatever people consider normal; it never is' but I then noticed that I had put others in unintentionally like **'"You are so full of yourself," I chuckled. "And you love me anyways."' **which MayRey pointed out - I think that was in the ep when Spencer's friend Debbie came from Ohio and was a total cow lol. Cyber-cookies to everyone who picked up on the quotes :)**

**Anway, here's the latest installment. Enjoy x**

**Chapter Six: **Take It Off

"Come on Lilly, I haven't been out in ages - I wasn't even invited to Miley's party and now you can make up for that by coming to the club with me,"

"Fine." I agreed then looked Mikayla up and down. "But I am not dressing like a prostitute!"

"Hey! I do _not_ look like a hooker," she complained as she ran her hands down her outfit. I laughed it off even though her extremely revealing and tight black mini-dress with the hot pink reflective strips and the fish net stockings were pretty hooker-ish. She'd even put neon pink strands through her dark locks. She looked gorgeous but with a slightly whorish aura.

We both headed up stairs to find me an appropriate outfit… appropriate being the operative word considering I didn't appreciate strangers ogling me like Mik seemed to.

"This is so cute," she said holding up a skirt.

"It's tiny – I haven't worn it in years," I said as I held up the item.

"Just try it on." She said and I squeezed myself into the tight sliver skirt. It seemed with age my legs had grown longer but my waist was still pretty much the same width. The skirt hugged my hips without it being grotesquely tight and judging by my reflection… it didn't look half bad.

"You look hot. Ooh that reminds me, why don't you invite Miley?" she asked and I felt my heart pick up its rhythm.

"How the hell does my looking 'hot' remind you to ask me to invite her?" I asked and she simply raised an eyebrow. "Okay, don't answer that. Even if I wanted to, I don't have her number,"

"You don't have her number?" she repeated. "What's wrong with you? I thought you guys were 'friends' – what friend doesn't have another friend's number?"

"I don't know. It never came up, alright?" I argued back as I whipped off my shirt and pulled on a black halter neck top.

"And what do you mean you don't want to invite her?"

"I never said that. I just mean that it would be awkward. We've only just found common ground and you expect me to turn up and ask her to a club while I'm dressed like this and to be in a room full of dancing people. Do I dance with her or not? If I did, how do I dance with her? Like a friend or more? If I did then I'd be thinking constantly about whether other people thought we were together-"

"Okay Lilly, stop. I get it. It'll just be me, you and Oliver tonight. Okay?"

"Thank you."

"You ready then?" she asked as I pulled on my boots.

"Yep."

"'_Hannah Montana playing live tonight,'_" I read the sign outside the club aloud as we neared the entrance. "No wonder it's so busy,"

"Did I not mention it?" asked Oliver and Mik and I shook our heads. "Sorry – but hey, Hannah'll make it better," he winked and Mik and I groaned. Don't get me wrong, I love Hannah's music but Oliver was completely besotted with the girl and several hours of him gawping at her wasn't the best fun in the world.

We were nearing the front of the very long queue and I could feel the heavy bass of the music inside reverberating in my chest. The music's volume may be dulled by the walls but the percussion of it was no less as I felt it shake my ribcage. This was going to be one hell of a night, I could just tell.

"Alright, go on in," said the big muscular bouncer as he lifted the chain to allow us through the door. I smiled at him politely yet his face remained perfectly impassive and incredibly menacing. Geeze, I was only being nice!

We pushed our way through the small crowd of people congregated in the entrance part and through the curtain which separated the entrance from the main part of the club. I'd been here several times before but the place still amazed me each time I stepped through that thick curtain. We were stood on a high wrought iron balcony which looked down upon the dance floor which was full of heaving bodies with coloured lights dancing manically everywhere. I could see the bar with its huge lava lamp centre and the stage, which was currently empty, with a drum set and other instruments upon it awaiting Hannah's arrival.

"Wow, it _is_ busy tonight," shouted Mik above the loud dance track as she surveyed the mass of people. I simply nodded. "Come on, let's go get a drink before she comes on." She said grabbing my hand and pulling me down the steps to the floor. Oliver was already pushing himself through the crowd to get to the front of the stage. Obsessive fan much?

Mik ordered our drinks and we sat upon the only two free stools as we waited. Suddenly the music disappeared and the lights turned white as they slowly circled the room before settling on the stage in a huge spotlight.

"The time is now," came a voice over the speakers and the whole club burst into applause and cheering. I swear I could hear Oliver above them all. "For the _animal_ to come alive," continued the southern voice, almost growling the word 'animal'. "You see, there's this place downtown…"

"Where the freaks all come around!" screamed the audience. Okay, that time, I definitely heard Oliver above the rest. The screaming grew louder when Hannah walked on stage in a rather skimpy outfit of a leather waistcoat and hot pants. The waistcoat hung open revealing her black bra and her toned stomach. She looked amazing and yet I couldn't help that niggling feeling in the back of my mind that it was somehow familiar.

"There's a place downtown, where the freaks all come around. It's a hole in the wall. It's a dirty free for all," she began, her voice altered for the first part of the track. I loved this song; it was definitely in my top 25 on my iPod, it was just such a good track.

"Come on Mik," I said before downing my drink and pulling her towards the front and to Oliver. Damn it was hot in here. She continued singing and the beat thumped in my chest filling me with excitement.

Oliver was going mental, his hand in the air and his head being thrown in all directions from his movements. Mik just gave me a look and laughed before we started dancing along; the reflective strips on her hooker-dress shining in the lights. I glanced up at Hannah to see her staring right at me as she sang. For a good two verses she seemed to be singing it to me as she never broke eye contact with me even when she danced to the beat, gyrating to the rhythm. Did I have something on my face or something? Why was she staring at me like that?

"Lose your mind. Lose it now. Lose your clothes in the crowd," she sang as she pulled off her waistcoat and tossed it to the side and received a cheer and many wolf-whistles from the crowd. That feeling of familiarity increased but I didn't know why… maybe from pictures of her? "We're delirious. Tear it down 'Til the sun comes back around," she continued as other people followed suit in discarding clothing.

Soon she reached the chorus again and held out the microphone as the crowd shouted the lyrics back at her.

"Oh, oh, oh!" she sang then held out the microphone.

"Everybody take it off!" they sang back at her, the joining of hundreds of voices sounding painful in my ears.

"Oh, oh, oh!"

"Everybody take it off!" each time the audience seemed to sing it back louder.

"Right now!"

"Take it off!" I shouted along with them and was amazed as Hannah grinned at me.

"Right now!"

"Take it off!" Again everyone grew louder. She pulled her gaze from mine and I couldn't help but feel I recognised those eyes. Of course you do Lilly, of course its familiar: it's Hannah Montana – you've been to a couple of concerts and you have her albums and of course there's that huge poster in Oliver's room. Was that it? Was that where the familiarity came from?

"Take it off! Everybody take it off!" yelled the audience with the final line, their voices echoing in my mind as the track came to an abrupt end and the lights dulled to black. The crowd began muttering among themselves for a few seconds before the lights came up again.

"Hey ya'll," greeted Hannah, obviously a little out of breath and I could see the shimmers of perspiration on her almost bare chest. "I'd just like to say thanks for all you guys coming out tonight… okay now the pleasantries are over – let's get this party started!"

Everyone screamed then and the lights danced manically around the room.

"Has anyone ever woke up feeling a little like P Diddy?" she asked and then laughed as everyone got excited. Oliver was practically giving birth with the volume of his girlish scream. Hannah then burst into her hit track TikTok and everyone jumped and danced and moved along with the beat, including me despite the glances I kept getting from Hannah. Seriously, did I have something on my face?

"Thank you!" she cried out after several songs as the club turned black once more and the music changed to a simple dance mix signalling the interval.

"I'm parched," said Oliver rubbing his throat.

"You shouldn't scream so much then should you," I smirked and he just elbowed me in the ribs and I returned it with a swift rap on the back of his head. We pushed our way through the sweaty bodies of Hannah fans to reach the bar. No spare seats this time. A huge queue had built up as well. Great, by the time we get there Hannah'll probably be back on stage.

"Hey Lilly," said a voice as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Miley stood there, her brunette locks pulled into a high ponytail and wearing a simple tank top and denim shorts. She looked amazing in that kind of 'I just pulled this on but I know I look hot' kinda way.

"Hey. I didn't see you before," I said as I cautiously took her hand and took her away from the crowded bar so it would be easier to hear what she was saying. I felt my skin tingle as our hands touched again. I'd felt it earlier when we'd shook hands but it seemed to have stepped up a few notches in intensity in those few hours between then and now.

"Yeah… I was stood at the back," she supplied, "I didn't know you came to this club,"

"Mik's uncle owns the place so we get free drinks and stuff," I told her as I leaned against the wall and she smiled.

"Sounds like a pretty good deal,"

"Yeah except he refuses to let us cut in front of queues in case people get pissed off and start a fight,"

"Well that makes sense," she said before we slipped into a comfortable silence, simply taking each other in. "You look good," she told me shyly.

"Thanks. So do you," I told her honestly. I'd thought it might be more awkward than this, but each pause of silence was comfortable and easy.

"Do your friends go out again? I can't keep up with that relationship," she mentioned nodding in the direction of the bar. I turned and I looked over to Mik and Oliver who were sucking face while waiting for drinks. Mik's hands were in his hair and his hands were on her ass. Charming.

"I've no idea to be honest," I told her turning away from the less than lovely sight. "I swear they're on and off more times than a prostitute's knickers,"

She burst out laughing then, "I've never heard _that_ expression before." I laughed with her and then stopped as she laid her hand on my forearm. The tingling returned and I felt my heat rate pick up; it was racing in my ears loud enough to rival that of the drum beat of the club music. "Sorry," she mumbled and removed her hand obviously mistaking my abrupt silence to dislike.

"No," I said capturing her hand. "Just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

"Oh," she said as a huge 100 watt smile spread across her face. We just looked into each other's eyes then, holding hands. I noticed how her eyes weren't simply blue but had flecks of green which shone like emeralds when the lights hit them. The colours reminded me of the ocean, the turquoises, the deeper blues, the greens… she had ocean eyes. I watched, mesmerised, as those ocean eyes flicked from mine to my mouth then back again. I found myself doing the same to her, glancing from her ocean eyes to her soft lips. She leant in slowly and I felt myself do the same. Was I ready for this? Did I really want to go this far when we'd only found common ground a matter of hours ago? Was it too soon? Are we skipping the whole 'friend' thing? Is this what I want?

"Shit," she mumbled as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. She merely glanced at the message before shoving it back in her pocket. "Sorry. I've got to go,"

"Go?" I repeated, my heart still thumping loudly in my chest. "Are you not staying for the rest of Hannah's performance?" I asked, almost desperate to spend more time with her.

"Erm… I could come find you afterwards?" she offered, putting her cool hand on my arm again.

"Sure," I agreed. "Erm, it might be easier if I-I had your number… y'know in case we erm can't find each other." Smooth Lilly, you might have actually pulled that off it you weren't blushing so much and stuttering as you spoke! I made a mental note to kick myself later.

"Yeah," she grinned, obviously amused at my flustered state of asking for her number. I took out my own phone and handed it over to her. She dialled in her number and handed the phone back to me. I pressed the corresponding button to 'save contact' and typed in her name. "I gotta go," she said before heading through the crowd, turning to smile at me moments before she disappeared completely from view.

"Was that Miley?" asked Mik as she and Oliver came over brandishing drinks.

"Uh-huh. I'm surprised you noticed considering you two were busy playing tonsil tennis,"

"Well neither of us is seeing anyone at the moment and I haven't got laid since-"

"Oliver!" said Mik interrupting him, "_So_ not important right now! So what were you talking about, and why did she run off?"

"Not a lot and no idea," I answered.

"You look a little flushed hun," she smirked.

"Um…" I said, unable to come up with anything to say in response.

"Why were you even talking to Superbitch?"

"Hey!" said Mik and I in sync, each giving Oliver an elbow in the ribs.

"What?" he exclaimed, rubbing his sides.

"Miley isn't Superbitch any more, she's Lilly's friend and therefore our friend by association so be nice," said Mik.

"But she's a cheerbitch. Whoa, okay okay no need to hit me again." he said jumping back, "I'm just confused. Why the sudden change in the hierarchy?"

"How about I tell you later and for now, you just accept it?" I offered. He contemplated it for a few moments before shrugging.

"Meh, as long as I don't have to be friends with Nasally," he smirked referring to Traci.

"I'll have you know it's a _deviated septum_," mimicked Mik and we all chuckled. I felt slightly guilty at taking the piss when she obviously couldn't help it but like I said – it was only slightly.

Then the lights changed again to create the spotlight. Hannah was coming back on stage.

"Hey," said a familiar voice from behind me. It was Miley.

"Hey," I said back to her, slightly out of breath from singing along with Hannah and trying to beat Oliver at who could do it the loudest. I failed; the boy had a good set of lungs on him.

"Hiya," said Mik from my side. "You wanna come down with us?"

"Down?" she questioned.

"The basement. There's too many people up here and I think Oliver might end up running into Hannah's dressing room or something,"

"Oh. Um… sure," she said, obviously still unsure.

"Don't worry – it's better than it sounds," I assured her. Mik led the way to the back of the club and to the basement door. She typed in the code and unlocked the door. Pushing it open she allowed Oliver to lead the way with Miley following and me behind her. As I passed Mik she gave me a wink and I purposely fell into her on my way down the steps, shoving her into the wall.

"Okay, this is so cool," said Miley as Oliver flicked on the light. The basement dulled out the music from upstairs to a muffled beat and was decked out with a pool table at the back and several old couches. There was a big TV on one wall and a mini fridge in the corner next to the old stereo. Oliver had supplied the couches from his old house and the TV was Mik's uncles. The rest was either here already or what we'd managed to scrounge from somewhere. Mik and I had decorated the wooden stairway with fairy lights which flashed various colours and we had the back wall covered with our hand prints. There were blue ones, pink ones, red ones, yellow ones, green ones and many other colours, each with the owner's name written with a Sharpie on the palm.

"Welcome to our den," grinned Oliver.

"Den? We aren't six anymore Oliver," laughed Mik who went over to the mini-fridge and grabbed some beers and tossed them over. "Okay, film or music?"

"Whichever," I responded and took a swig of my drink. I felt really nervous being in such close quarters with Miley now. Upstairs we were surrounded by hundreds of people but here there was only the four of us and that comfortable silence from before wasn't so comfortable now.

"I choose film!" declared Oliver and grabbed one of the many DVDs off of the rack and put it in. He then turned off the lights so that only the TV and the fairy lights gave off any light then he launched himself into his usual armchair, almost knocking it backwards and Mik proceeded to go sit on his lap. I guess they _were_ going out then… for however long it would be this time.

"Come on," I said softly, taking Miley's hand and leading her to one of the couches. She smiled and held tightly to my hand as we sat down.

"Okay, now I really don't understand. You said she was suddenly our friend and now you two look like you're gay or something?" said Oliver pointing at me and Miley. She immediately let go of my hand and shifted further away from me on the sofa.

Mik elbowed him in the ribs. "So what if they were Oliver? Would it bother you that Lilly was happy? Huh? Would it really be a bad thing if they were?"

"No," he gulped as he saw the menace in Mik's eyes. "It'd be hot though – ouch!" he said as Mik elbowed him again.

"Thank you," I mouthed at her before she smiled and turned her attention to the film which was coming on. I glanced down to see that my hand was mere centimetres from Miley's and I saw that she noticed this too. She smiled before she reached out her index finger and gently stroked mine. I shivered from the contact and the tingling which returned. That tingling… that meant that it was right, didn't it? In all the movies and stuff… when you feel that its supposed to mean that you were supposed to be together… this wasn't a movie though, this was reality… but it _did_ feel right.

"Hey all," shouted a voice from behind us. I looked up to see Johnny and the guys pouring in through the fire exit door which opened up into the parking lot. Great. Just fucking great.

"We thought you guys would be here," said Johnny as he dropped his board onto the floor, "You watching a film? Awesome," he said before showing off and jumping over the back of the couch and landing right next to Miley. He didn't seem to notice who she was and I felt my heart race as I began to panic – I didn't want everyone knowing. Miley shifted closer to me to get away from Johnny and I squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her even though I was panicking. I looked at Mik who seemed to realise what I was thinking and stood.

"Okay halt the fuck up guys," she said her voice loud and authoritative. "We've come here for a quiet night in and we don't need you guys being your usual tosser selves so back go out the way you came in,"

"This is our place too Mik," said Toby as he too took a seat, putting his feet up on the table. Mik immediately pushed them off and onto the floor.

"Yeah but this is _my_ uncle's building so what I say goes; and I say get the fuck out,"

"Whoa Mik, calm it down. We'll go upstairs if it means that much to you," responded Toby. "Come on guys," and with that they all headed upstairs. Johnny was taking his sweet time about it, purposely trying to piss us all off.

"Holy fuck! Miley?" exclaimed Johnny as he finally realised who he was sat next to. Her hold on my hand grew tighter.

"What about it?" said Mik coming to stand over him. "Piss off Johnny,"

"But that's that's Miley," he stammered, pointing at her.

"No shit Sherlock! Any more amazing discoveries Johnny?" I threw at him and I saw the hurt and anger flash in his eyes. "Just leave,"

"What is _she_ doing here?" he questioned and I saw him notice our entwined hands, "What the hell is going on here?"

I released myself from Miley's iron grasp and stood up to Johnny. "Something that seriously doesn't concern you. Now just leave before I make you leave,"

"Okay fine, I'll leave you alone," he said grabbing his board. "Fucking lesbian," he muttered but I heard him perfectly.

"You wanna say that to my face?" I shouted and grabbed his shoulder, whirling him to face me and brought my right fist up quickly and it connected with his face sending his head back with the force of it.

"What the _fuck_?" he exclaimed holding his face.

"You wanna call me a lesbian? Go ahead but just know that you'll be a virgin forever because I'll rip your non-existent dick off and force it down your fucking throat," I warned him and glared at him so he knew that I wasn't messing around, "Alright?"

"Yeah, sure," he said before scarpering off upstairs.

"Well… that went well," sighed Oliver after a few moments.

"Swimmingly," added Mik. "You alright hun?" she asked and put an arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah, I just need some air," I said and headed towards the fire exit door.

[Miley]

I didn't know what to do when Lilly punched Johnny Collins, so I just sat there. I didn't know what to say in case I made things worse. Then Lilly headed out back… do I sit here quietly or do I follow her like I want to? Mik gave me my answer as she indicated for me to go after her. I put down my untouched drink and followed the blonde out through the fire exit and into the parking lot.

"Hey," I said as I leant up against the wall next to her.

"Hey…" she said quietly. "I'm sorry,"

"Sorry? What for?"

"For flipping out. My punching Johnny can hardly have been the highlight of your evening," she said and I resisted the urge to tell her that _she_ was the highlight of my evening.

"True. But you could hardly let him get away with it – especially considering he told the whole school you shagged him,"

"You heard?" she asked, slight panic in her voice.

"_Everyone_ heard. But I know it's not true considering _I_ was with you all night,"

"Yeah…" she said and we trailed off into that silence again. "Sorry to ruin your evening anyway,"

"You didn't ruin it. In fact, you made it all the better," I smiled at her and my smile grew into a grin when I saw her smile back and the sparkle in her eyes. "Are you doing anything tomorrow?"

"No, not really. I have that essay for Psychology but that only takes an hour or so,"

"Yeah I haven't done mine yet either," I said but left out the part where it took me about two or _three_ hours to complete an essay. Psychology wasn't my strong point even though I found it interesting. "We could do it together,"

She raised an eyebrow, "I thought we were in the 'friend' stage Miles," she grinned before chuckling lightly.

"What did you say?" I asked, "What did you call me?"

"Um… Miles. Why? Do you not like people calling you that?"

"No, that's not it. No one's ever called me that 'cept my family; it just kinda seemed weird that you'd call me it when my supposed 'friends' don't,"

"Do you want me to call you Miley?" she asked.

"No. I like Miles," I smiled.

"Miles," she rolled the word around her mouth. "And yeah, we can do the essay together if you like,"

"Yeah, I'd like that," she smiled. I'd like that _a lot_.

"And that's supported by Xiang's research… is that all we have to put? Just say it's supported by research and say what the research was?" I asked her as I lay on her bedroom floor the following afternoon, my notebook in front of me and my pen in my mouth as I thought about how to write the point.

Her bedroom was naturally much smaller than mine but it felt more – what's the word – _homey_. My room was always clean and neat and tidy – like a hotel room, no real personal touches like photos or posters on the walls. This, Lilly's room, was an _actual_ bedroom – it had photos of Lilly and her friends, it had colour on the walls, posters of bands and people skateboarding, and she even had patterned duvet – I had a boring plain one.

"Yep. Xiang found that women with preeclampsia had larger babies," she confirmed from where she lay a few meters away, her notebook accompanied by a psychology textbook so she could check the spellings of the researcher's peculiar name.

"…which is the adaptive strategy which causes parent-child conflict _before_ birth?" I questioned to assure my own thoughts.

"Yep. Pretty far fetched but you can't falsify it,"

"_Non-falsifiable_… that's strength of the theory,"

"You're getting good at this," she said smiling and I felt the blush creep up my neck and into my cheeks.

"You're a good teacher," I told her and saw a similar blush touch her cheeks. What I'd said was completely cheesy and cliché but I meant it – my average C grade was sure to bump up with Lilly's help. It just seemed like second nature to her, and she could teach it much better than what Mrs Stevens could.

"Hi girls," said Lilly's mom as she walked into the room brandishing two soda's and a big bag of chips, and Romeo was dancing around her legs. "I thought you might be hungry from the studying,"

"We're pretty much done now, mom," Lilly told her, obviously not impressed that her mother had walked in uninvited.

"Oh. Well, you can have them anyway," she said setting them down between us. Romeo ran straight for the food but Lilly's mom held him back. "I've already fed him but he's such a hungry-nose," she smiled, "He could do with a walk actually,"

"I'll take him out later if you want," said Lilly, saying it as a statement rather than a question.

"Thanks love," she said before turning to leave, dragging Romeo by his collar out of the room. "Happy studying."

"_Happy studying_?" mocked Lilly once her mom had gone out of ear shot and I smiled. Ever since I'd started spending more time with Lilly I'd smiled more than I ever had since my mom died back in Tennessee.

Lilly popped the lid on her soda and I followed suit and took a sip of the deliciously sugary liquid.

"You spoken to Johnny at all?" I asked her cautiously; worried the topic may turn her good mood sour.

"No. Why?" she asked taking another sip of her drink.

"You know my dad and his mom are…um…"

"Yeah," she said, thankfully preventing me from actually having to say it out loud. Thinking about my dad dating again just gave me the creeps.

"Well Johnny comes over every so often… he was in the kitchen this morning," I told her, "And he has _the_ biggest shiner in the whole entire world,"

"Serves him right, tosser," she muttered but she grinned through her anger at the boy. "He should really learn to keep that mouth of his shut." We slipped into silence and we could hear Romeo on the other side of the door, whining to get in. I could just see his nose as he snorted under the crack of the door.

"Fancy a walk?" asked Lilly, smiling.

"Sure,"

"So why is this place called Silver Point anyway? I've lived here seven years now and I still don't know," I asked as we walked along the path behind the houses which led to Silver Point.

"There are several theories actually," Lilly told me as we turned a corner and the trees of the Silver Forest began to flank each side of the path as the houses came to an end. "Most people think it's the Silver Maple trees which grow here in the woods that give the place its name,"

"Oh that makes sense," I concluded looking up at the trees and trying to spot the Silver Maples.

"Or you could side with Oliver's theory," she grinned and removed Romeo's leash and he bounded off, his nose glued to the floor. "He believes that Long John Silver used to force his latest victims over the edge of the cliff and plummet to their deaths,"

"Oh… right. Does he realise that Long John Silver is fictional? From Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson?"

"I don't think so but I don't want to ruin his fantasy," she chuckled. "Now Mik, she has actual evidence for her theory,"

"Oh?" I said, intrigued.

"You know just below the actual point of Silver Point, there's a small cave?" she asked and I nodded. I knew that part of the beach and I remembered noticing the little hole in the rock face. "Well, she claims that pirates used to use that cave to store their treasure – silver to be precise,"

"Pirates again?" I said, "So what was her evidence?"

"She climbed into that cave and it opens up into a pretty big space… and she found some silver,"

"Really? Wow,"

"Yeah but turns out that it dated way too recent have been by pirates. But she's still pretty adamant about her theory." She said as the trees began thinning out as we neared the grassy knoll that was Silver Point.

"So what's your theory? Pirates still or are you going to go for something mythical like 'the infamous killing of werewolves by silver bullets which were found at this very spot'," I joked and she smiled before her face became more serious, as if she were contemplating something.

"You know," she said softly taking my hand in hers, "maybe I'll show you sometime,"

**AN: What did you think? Can anyone guess what Lilly's theory is? Stay tuned to find out and please please please leave a review before you leave this page - I'll love you forever if you do :). Stay tuned x**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: This one uses Busted's That's What I Go To School For - It's not in the text or anything because I'm finding it way to hard to base a chapter on a song or work the lyrics in... I just thought the title of this track summed up the chapter but no way does it mean either of the girls have a thing for Mrs Stevens - ugh, and double ugh considering she's based on my own Psychology teacher - bleugh. Anyway, enjoy x**

**Chapter Seven: **That's What I Go To School For

"Essay deadline is today class, leave it on my desk before you leave," said Mrs Stevens as we all entered the classroom and I took my usual seat in the back corner. "Today we're moving on from sexual selection and …"

Damn her voice is annoying, I thought as I put my feet up on the chair next to me. I took out my notebook and placed it on my desk making sure it was perfectly straight and parallel to the end of the desk. Damn it Lilly, OCD much? I scoffed at myself and pushed the book so it was on an angle.

"Did I say something amusing?" I heard Mrs Stevens say and looking up I noticed everyone staring at me. I shook my head. "I didn't think so either. Get your feet off of that chair this instant,"

I put my feet solidly on the floor and mumbled an apology. "Now that _everybody _is listening," she said continuing with her drivel. Why did I carry on coming to this class when I could just as easily teach myself out of the text book? When her gaze was diverted, I put my feet back up on the seat.

"As I was saying, we are going to partner up for this week's class and each pair is going to come up with a presentation to show the rest of the class next Monday on what we've learnt so far. What are you all waiting for? Partner up,"

With that there was a screeching of chairs as people began swapping places and moving around the class to join up. I'd barely had time to blink before I felt the chair disappear from under my feet causing them to flop heavily onto the floor.

"Hey!"I protested before turning to face whoever had removed the chair. Miley was sat there grinning.

"Hey yourself," she chuckled. "Bad day?"

"It's a Monday – Monday's are _always_ bad days because it means the weekend is over,"

"Yeah… although the weekend was totally above average," she smiled.

"Totally," I echoed, returning the smile.

"Well this is a partnership I didn't expect," said a voice, breaking the silence Miley and I had slipped into whilst simply gazing at each other; sad and cliché I know but I couldn't help myself. I looked up to see Mrs Stevens standing in front of our desk, distaste clearly visible upon her face. "Miss Stewart, are you sure you want to partner up with… with…"

"Lilly," I spat at her – I knew that she knew my name and was simply doing it to undermine me and severely piss me off – why did she hate me so much?

"Yes, I'm completely sure," said Miley.

"You do realize that your grade on this project will be noted and will be used in the reports that will be sent home to your parents…"

"I'm aware," she said simply, her tone and facial expression indifferent as she looked up at our psychology teacher.

"Okay, it's your grade you're jeopardizing," sneered Mrs Stevens.

"I think I've made the right decision," defended Miley, clearly not wanting the teacher to have the last word.

"Humph," mumbled Mrs Stevens before going along to the next group.

"You know, she'll probably hate you too now?" I told Miley, concerned that she would get the shit I get from Mrs Stevens simply because she chose to partner with me.

"I'm hated by a lot of people, one more isn't going to hurt," she shrugged. It was true; lots of people did hate Miley. Hell, _I_ hated Miley before the whole 'I might be gay' thing. But the truth is, before that, I saw her just like everyone else saw her – school royalty, the Queenbitch, the Head Cheerbitch… but that so wasn't the Miley I know now. This Miley was kind and sweet and so not worthy of being hated.

"I don't hate you," I told her softly and I saw how much that meant to her when she grinned and her eyes grew wider.

"I don't hate you either," she said still grinning.

At the end of class I pulled out my essay and placed it on Mrs Stevens' desk. I sidestepped around the small crowd of people who were waiting to get close enough to the desk to put their own essays on the pile and headed out of the door.

"Lilly! Wait up," I heard a voice say behind me in the corridor as I headed towards my locker. I turned to see Miley heading towards me. "How are you getting home?"

"Walking – my board's still broken,"

"I can give you a lift," she offered as I shoved my textbook in my locker.

"It'd kinda attract attention – you know, the whole cheerleaders hate skaters and vice versa thing," I told her. I'd even noticed the odd glances from passing people as we stood talking at the lockers. God, high school was so pathetic – one slight difference in the status quo and everyone acted like it was gonna turn into World War Three!

"Well if we give it ten minutes they'll be no one to see," she surmised.

"True, but what are we gonna do for ten minutes?" I asked. I watched, rather shocked, as a scarlet blush spread across Miley's face. "Your mind Miles," I chuckled and took her arm and dragged her off of the main hallway and into one of the smaller corridors which led to the art department and the stairs up to the viewing gallery.

I held open the door to the stairs and Miley headed up. It was dark in the staircase but some light streamed in from the gallery above allowing me to see where I was going. It also allowed me to look upon the girl who walked in front of me. She was wearing a rather short plaid skirt in the schools colours of blue and gold. The short length of the skirt meant that my eyes could roam across her toned thighs all the way down her muscular claves and to the cute heels she was wearing. Wait, what the hell? Am I checking her out? Lilly, we're still in that 'friend' stage you wanted – checking her out is not a friendly gesture… oh who cares, I want to and what she can't see won't hurt her.

"Truscott, are you looking at my ass?" she said interrupting my thoughts and that's when I noticed she was no longer climbing the stairs and instead looking over her shoulder at me.

"Um…I…" I stammered; my brain not functioning quick enough to come up with a lie to get me out of it.

"I'll take that as a yes then?" she smirked.

"More like a 'hell yeah'," I said without thinking then smacked my hand over my mouth to prevent any other words coming out before my brain could analyse whether they could actually be said _aloud_. "Sorry, it just slipped out," I apologised from behind my hand, my face growing hotter and I was glad for the lack of light to allow my blush to be somewhat dulled.

Miley chuckled. "Come on you," she said taking my hand and leading me up the rest of the steps. It was much brighter up here than the stairs but it was still pretty dark. The gallery had art work from students, well the art work that was actually any good. It was a long thin room and had a huge window on one wall which looked down into the school gym. When there's a game or something on, the art is removed and seats were put in here for the important guests… and by important I mean people like the Mayor and his wife and occasionally we had the odd scout looking for new players.

"Some of this stuff is really good – this one is brilliant," she said pointing at one of the big canvases on the back wall. I smiled, it was a brilliant piece; the many different shades of blues and purples were flawless and the texture of the acrylic paint made the stormy ocean look alive and jump from the page. The canvas was about the same height as me and my arms could only just touch each corner… I knew this because I had to carry the damn thing up here. This huge ocean scene with the lighthouse in the background and the huge milky moon was awarded first place in the school art competition and had been viewed by some top artists from New York and Los Angeles, each offering the painter a summer internship next year after she finished school.

"It's Mik's," I said smiling. I felt proud that my best friend was finally having her talent noticed after all the years of her constant doodling and paintings.

"Get out!" exclaimed Miley and I chuckled, "Seriously?"

I nodded. "Yep, took her about a month and a half to do,"

"It's amazing," she said staring at the canvas as if she were suddenly seeing it in a new light because she knew the artist. "I didn't know she could paint,"

"Paint, draw, sculpt, sketch, photograph – you name it and she can do it," I said smiling when I realised we were still holding hands. It just seemed so natural for our hands to be joined… it was an odd feeling, odd but nice.

"Wow," she breathed, still staring at the painting.

"Quite a few of Mik's pieces are up here," I said pulling her attention away and pointing to several of the art works. "That black and white image of the half-pipe at the skate park up on East, that's another painting of the ocean, oh and that one is supposed to be a sketch of me,"

"Of you?" she said and I nodded. "Let's get a closer look," she grinned and pulled me over to the piece. "Okay, stand just there," she said as she positioned me next to the sketch. I watched amused as she placed her finger on her chin as if deep in thought, her eyes flicking from me to the sketch and back again.

"I can see the resemblance but it's missing something," she smirked.

"Oh really? And what would that be?" I asked, a grin playing across my lips as I tried and failed to keep my face serious. The sketch was done in a cubist style, you know like that Picasso's Weeping Woman… except this one wasn't coloured in. I didn't even think the sketch looked _human_ let alone looked like me – but on its own it was a very good piece, just like the rest of Mik's work.

"Well the basic shape is fine… with the angle of the jaw line," she smirked as she ran her fingers down my jaw and I resisted the urge to shiver at the touch of her cool fingers, "but the lips don't look quite right," she continued as her thumb brushed across my bottom lip. This time I couldn't help but quiver slightly at the contact and I saw her smile satisfied with the effect she was having on me. This certainly wasn't a friendly encounter and we both knew it. Even though it pained me to do it, I knew I wasn't ready for anything more and I lifted my own hands to take her wrists in my grasp.

"Miles…" I breathed, my eyes closing when her skin brushed against mine as I pulled her hands away from my face.

"I know…" she said just as softly. "Sorry,"

"It's okay… just too soon,"

"I know," she said, exhaling deeply and I opened my eyes to see hers were closed, her face soft but there were lines in her forehead which gave away that she was having her own mental battle with herself. "Just got carried away, that's all,"

"Yeah…" I said before realising I was still gripping her wrists. I released them and she opened her eyes, those big blue ocean eyes that I loved.

"Over here!" we both span around startled. There was no one here but us. "I'm open!" came the voice again. Then it dawned on me – the gym. I wandered over to the big window and saw the basketball team practicing, in shirts and skins I might add. Many a time Mik and I had stood up here and watched the guys play as they ran up and down the court, their shirts discarded and sweat shining on their muscular chests. Looking down on them now, I didn't feel that same girly fascination that I used too… I was more interested in the girl at my side. Who knew that whilst Mik and I were gushing over the fit basketball players that I'd end up turning gay for the Queen of the school – not me, that's for sure.

"I don't get basketball… it's just a bunch sweaty guys tossing a ball around and patting each other on the ass when they score. Imagine if we did that in the hallways – pat someone on the ass each time they do something good, can you imagine the reactions you'd get from people?"

"Well it'd certainly making walking to class a more amusing experience," I chuckled.

"More disturbing," she corrected with a smile on her face.

"Yeah… don't you still cheer them on though?" I smirked.

"Well I kinda have to being a cheerleader and all," she laughed, "Doesn't mean that I actually like the sports- I think they're actually rather boring and most of them I don't even understand,"

"Which is why I've never been to a school game before – I couldn't imagine a worse way to spend my day," I said before we slipped into silence for a few moments, simply watching the guys below play a game neither of us were actually interested in.

"Reckon people will have left yet?" she said breaking the comfortable silence. She took my hand in hers and led me back towards the stairs before I could even answer. We went out into the bright corridor and back into the main hallway of the school, no other person in sight except for the janitor who stood with his mop at the opposite end of the hall.

Miley kept a firm grip of my hand as we walked towards the doors. I felt on edge as I held her hand, scared someone would come out from one of the classrooms or corridors and see us, and then go shout from the rooftops that I was a lesbian... was I? Sure, I liked Miley in a more than friendly way but did that really make me gay, I mean I haven't looked at another girl that way before… maybe it was only Miley? Did that mean I was bi? Or was I just weird… shut up Lilly and get in the damn car.

[Miley]

I could tell something was on her mind as I led her around the building to where I'd parked. Her forehead was creased in concentration and confusion and irritation seemed to be coming off her in waves which is why kept quiet, allowing her to work out whatever she was thinking on her own. I released her hand reluctantly when we reached my car. I loved the feel of her hand in mine but I also knew how much it would cost if we were seen; I'd planned on letting go if I'd seen anyone but the school and parking lot were empty of people and only the teachers cars and my own remained. Still, I couldn't help but think that Lilly's intense internal thoughts were partially to do with just that.

I put the car into drive and headed out of the parking lot and onto the street. Once again we were stopped at the traffic lights. I took the time to look upon the blonde beauty who sat next to me. The sun was shining brightly like every other day and it made her blonde hair look like spun gold and it lit up the confusion on her face for all to see. My heart squeezed when I saw how troubled she looked. I couldn't keep my silence any longer and I reached across and put my hand on her thigh gently and asked her what was on her mind.

"Us…" she replied simply. "How we have to hide our friendship let alone if it developed into anything else."

"I know," I said unable to think of much else to say about it. She was right; it was awful that we even had to hide the fact that we were friends because it would disrupt the stupid high school hierarchy. "Look at it this way, the longer it's a secret the more time we have without stupid comments or you know, the whole school going into disrepute because a cheerleader and a skater joined forces,"

She grinned then, "Joined forces? Are we fighting against something?"

"Yeah, we're fighting the stupid status quo," I laughed lightly and pushed my hand through my hair. The breeze just caused it to go back to where it was before. I pushed it back again and kept my hand nestled in the dark locks to keep it from returning to its original position. The light turned green and I put the car in gear and turned left; I'd only driven to her house a couple of times but it just felt so natural for me to turn left instead of right. Her side of town may be classed as where the 'normal' people live but it even though it lacked the palm trees flanking the street and the swimming pools and huge iron fences… this side of town felt like a town should, not like some heavily manicured place that was more about appearance than the actual necessity of having a home. Don't get me wrong, I loved living in a mansion with a pool and having limousine escorts and my own tennis court – that I never used – but sometimes I wished I could experience what its like to live in the 'real' Malibu where the neighbours would actually talk to each other without an ulterior motive behind it.

"What are _you_ thinking about?" asked Lilly, interrupting my thoughts.

"About how much nicer this side of town is,"

"Are you freaking kidding me? You're a Kensington girl; surely you can't see the appeal of this side of town?"

"I may be a Kensington girl but I haven't always been. I used to live on a ranch in Tennessee; we had horses, chickens, everything. We had a leaky roof and every so often we had a little woodland critter run havoc in the kitchen," I told her, remembering the time I woke up to find the kitchen trashed and a squirrel sitting amongst the food which had spilled from the refrigerator – to this day I still don't know how it managed to even open the door to the fridge let alone get to the food.

"Oh. So you're not _totally_ superficial,"

"It's took you this long to realise that?" I asked and she smirked, obviously she'd been joking with me. I turned the last corner and headed down Old Rocky Drive, spying Lilly's house. I pulled up onto her driveway. "Do you want a lift to school in the morning? I could come by early so no one would see us? Saves you having to walk?"

"Sure," she smiled. She collected her bag which she'd stowed in the foot well and moved to get out. Her hand was on the handle when she stopped and turned. I was about to ask her if something was wrong when she smiled shyly before leaning over and kissing my cheek. I think my heart actually stopped beating at that moment. "I'll see you in the morning then," she said, her cheeks flushing red as she got out the car and closed the door. "Thanks for the ride,"

"Er yeah… n-no problem," I stammered as my heart finally started beating again and blood started returning to my brain. She grinned, her face still red before she went towards her door. Just before she went in she smiled and waved and I waved back. I waited a few moments before backing off her driveway, afraid my brain function still wasn't enough to be safe to drive. I could still feel the tingling from where her lips and touched my cheek. I felt like a giddy schoolgirl… I suppose I was.

"Maurice, it's me," I said into the intercom outside the gates to my house. We really should get some kind of remote for these things; it would save so much time. The big iron gates swung open and I drove my car around to the garage and parked up. I got out and squeezed myself around Jackson's truck to get to the door into the house.

I headed straight for the kitchen and grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and poured myself some apple juice, still thinking about how Lilly had kissed my cheek and how I'd almost kissed her in the gallery; I'd actually had to close my eyes to stop myself from kissing her despite her holding my wrists.

"Miley," said a voice and I turned to see Jake stood there. Maurice rushed in behind him.

"I told you to stay out until I'd spoken to her," said Maurice, raising his voice at my ex-boyfriend.

"And I told you that wasn't going to happen," Jake snapped back at him.

"Hey, don't talk to him like that," I told him angrily, finding my voice. "What the hell is he doing here?" I asked Maurice.

"I wasn't going to let him in but your father said it was okay," supplied Maurice. I interrupted him before he could continue his explanation.

"I told you Jake and I were over so why didn't you insist that he stayed the hell out of my house?"

"I'm still in the room you know?" said Jake but we both ignored him.

"I didn't know whether your father knew and I didn't think it was my place to say," justified Maurice. "I was going to warn you first but you drove through the gate before I had chance to say it through the intercom. I can get someone to remove him from the premises, if you wish,"

"Can we just talk about this Miley?" said Jake taking a step forward, obviously not wanting to be forcibly removed from the grounds.

"Talk about what Jake? About how you shagged someone else? Did you think that girl was me, huh? Did you Jake? Did you think that that orange skinned, peroxide-blonde bimbo was me? Is that why you fucked her? Is that why you _fucking_ fucked her?" I yelled at the Zombie-Slayer.

"I uh… think I'll… just go," stammered Maurice before quickly exiting the room. If it were a cartoon there'd have been a little 'shoom' noise and a billow of dust where he had been stood, but this wasn't a cartoon – this was real life, a life where my cheating ex-boyfriend was stood in my kitchen asking to 'talk'.

"Miley, I know I was a dick and I can't apologise enough. I was wasted and she was all over me, I mean come on, how could I resist when I was drunk?"

"As if that covers any of it! So what if you were drunk! You should have been all over _me_ not allowing some slag to be all over _you_! It was my fucking birthday party and I hardly even saw you and when I did I walked in to find you fucking some dumb chick in my fucking house! And you think because you were drunk that should get you off the hook?"

"Are you telling me that you've _never_ done something you regret when you were drunk? Something where you didn't actually know you were doing it until you remembered the day after? Are you seriously telling me that's never happened to you?" he questioned and that stopped me in my tracks. I took a moment to think it through and then took a deep breath before responding.

"I can honestly say that anything I've done whilst drunk – I _don't _regret it,"

"Okay fine, whatever. But I'm sorry baby, please forgive me, I know you still love me," he said as he wrapped his arms around me. I protested the whole time and managed to slip out of his embrace.

"First of all, I am _nobody's _'baby' and second of all – I do _not_ love you, I never have!"

"Oh don't be like that, you know that's not true," he said as he tried to hold me again.

"Jake, what the fuck? Get off me! It's over! C'est fini! Se acabó! E 'finita! Comprendre?"

"What are you talking about baby?"

"I'm saying that I don't love you, I never have and we will never be together again so get that thought out of your brain right now,"

"Miles-" he started and I interrupted him straight away.

"No! No! Don't you even call me 'Miles' – you think that by calling me that you can weasel your way back into my life? Hell no, don't even think about it,"

"What the Sam-Heck is going on in here?" exclaimed my dad as he entered the kitchen, Maurice hiding behind him. "I hear shouting and cursing in my house and I come down and Maurice tells me that we need to escort Jake here off of the grounds… what is going on?"

"Nothing Mr Stewart, I assure you – we've just hit a rough patch that's all, I'm just here trying to rectify it," said Jake acting like the perfect boyfriend. "Are you using new shampoo? Your hair looks positively marvellous today,"

"Actually yes-" started my dad.

"Dad!" I yelled, interrupting him. "Pay attention!"

"What? Okay, so what's this problem – maybe I can help," offered my dad and I just groaned – my dad had turned into a softie because someone complimented his hair!

"Nothing that we can't sort out between ourselves, isn't that right Miley?" Jake said, his eyes burning into mine in desperation for me not to tell my dad what he'd done.

"He shagged another girl." I said simply, my arms crossed as I watched Jake's expression grew extremely fearful. "On my birthday. In this house," I added and saw my dad grow angry… no, furious; it was if he were turning into the Hulk before my very eyes.

"You. Did. What?" he said through gritted teeth as he turned to Jake.

"I uh, I-I – See ya!" he said before bolting out of the door and across the lawns. My dad gave chase. I didn't try and stop him; my dad was angry but he wouldn't physically hurt Jake, just scare him.

Ten minutes later I was sat in my room on my leather sofa, hugging my fluffy red cushion wondering how my good day had turned so sour so quickly. I'd had a brilliant day with Lilly and she'd even kissed my cheek and then Jake turned up and ruined it all. I put my hand to the spot where Lilly's lips had touched it… nope, I couldn't even remember the sensation; all I could think of was Jake and his fucking bad timing.

There was a knock at the door and my dad poked his head around, "Alright if I come in?" he asked and I nodded. He proceeded to come and sit next to me, "So how you holding up bud?"

"Fine," I told him. It was true, sure I was pissed off but I no longer cared for Jake and today I realised that I don't think I ever did.

"You sure? I could knock up so Cocoa Hot Loco if you want," he smiled and I smiled back.

"Thanks but I don't need its magical properties this time," I grinned.

"You know I've never really liked that Jake boy, he was always looking out for number one and when you date someone as special as my daughter – _you_ are the priority, hands down," he said putting his arm around me and I snuggled into his embrace.

"Thanks dad. I'll be fine; I'm so over Jake that being with him seems like a different lifetime,"

"Well that's good to hear. I have to ask… you said he um, he slept with another girl…" he left the question unasked but I knew what he meant.

"I never slept with him, dad."

"Thank the heavens. I really didn't want to have _that_ conversation with you," he said relieved.

"Dad, I'm 18 now – I'm well aware of the 'birds and the bees'," I smirked before hurriedly continuing after seeing the panic on his face, "Not that I've had experience or anything,"

"It's times like these when your mom would take charge and tell me to bugger off while she spoke to you…" he sighed, "I could always ask Claire if you need a woman to talk to,"

"No thanks dad, I'm fine, honest," I said, grimacing at the thought of discussing anything with Johnny's mom.

"I know you're not keen on the idea of me dating again but it has been seven years Miley. I'm not saying that we forget about your mom because that's impossible, I still love your mom and always will but…"

"You don't have to explain dad, I understand," I told him. My mom would want him to find someone else… and I guess I did too; it was just weird to think of him with someone other than my mother.

He kissed my forehead and squeezed my shoulder lightly, "As long as you're okay?"

"Dad, honestly, no matter how many times you ask – I'm fine," I laughed although I was comforted by his insistent concern.

"Good," he said getting up. "And you'll stop the swearing? At least in my house,"

"No problem," I told him giving him my biggest smile. He laughed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

**AN: Please review and tell me what you think, next update will be up real soon :)**

**Oh and who saw Miley on Britain's Got Talent last night? That 'fake lesbian kiss' which everyone's talking about in the papers - my jaw quite literally dropped when I saw it - I was like 'YES!' lol. If you saw it, mention in your review what you thought of it. And I'm listening to Can't Be Tamed as I type right now, its on repeat :) Stay tuned x**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Okay so this chapter is entitled after B.O.B's Airplanes with Hayley Williams - I actually only like the bit where she sings and lyrics do feature in this chapter. Enjoy x**

**Chapter Eight: **Airplanes

"Lilly,"

The voice seemed so far away. I couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. It sounded again, this time closer but I still didn't detect who it was calling my name or where from.

"Lilly!"

I sat bolt upright, my eyes springing open into the light of the morning.

"What the hell?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes.

"There's a girl downstairs, she said you knew she was coming,"

"Huh?" I said when my brain refused to function and release the dream which was still hovering around in my memory.

"She said her name's Miley, a friend of yours. She's downstairs,"

"Oh yeah, yeah she is," I pulled a hand through my hair swiftly, pulling at the knots.

"Okay, I'm going to work now love," she said and kissed my forehead. "Bye sweetheart,"

"See you. Tell her I'll be down in a sec," I said as my mom left my room. I sat there for a few moments, trying to wake myself up a little more. Finally I got out of bed and shuffled across my room and pulled on some socks to keep my feet warm before heading downstairs.

Romeo greeted me happily as I reached the bottom step, his tail wagging manically as he tried to lick my toes, another reason I put a pair of socks on.

"Morning," came Miley's cheerful greeting. I glanced up from Romeo to see Miley leaning casually against the kitchen counter, two cups of Starbucks in her hands. She looked me up and down, "Nice pyjamas," she said indicating to my oversized band shirt and the teeny bed shorts which had shrunk in the wash.

"Meh," I mumbled and wandered over to the back door to let Romeo out.

"Not a morning person I gather," she smiled, coming over to lean onto the counter nearer to where I was.

"You could say that," I told her as I watched Romeo in the back garden. Wait what was that? I took a step into the garden, "What the hell is that smell?"

"That would be 6am,"

"What? 6am! I know you said early Miles but Jesus!" I said as I inhaled the unfamiliar scent again.

"I'm joking Lilly, it's almost 7 – there's no need to panic," she said with a huge grin on her face.

"You need to realise that jokes like that are not funny," I said but I couldn't help but smile as she giggled lightly at me. She handed me the coffee and I took a sip. Still hot, I didn't even know Starbucks was open at this time.

"It was a little funny," she said still grinning.

"It won't be funny if you try it again," I told her as I shoved some bread into the toaster.

"Is that a threat Truscott?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"Try and you'll see," I smirked before turning back to turn the toaster on, "You want some?"

"Excuse me?" she asked, spluttering on her coffee. It only took me a moment to realise what she'd interpreted it as.

"Toast, Miles! Do you want some toast?" I laughed and she declined, "Your mind, Miley,"

"Sorry, you bring it out in me," she winked and I felt a tightness in my stomach and a heat across my face. I didn't know how to respond to that so I just went about getting a plate for my toast and waiting for it to pop out. I could hear her chuckle lightly, obviously amused by the reaction she'd gotten.

By half-past seven I'd eaten and gotten showered and dressed. I came back downstairs pulling a brush through my hair to find Miley sat in front of the TV. It wasn't the fact that she was there that made me stop, it was how natural it seemed for me to come downstairs and find her casually watching television. It was the same familiarity of what I had with Mik, just _expecting_ her to be sat there… but I'd known Mik my whole life and Miley – well, the _real_ Miley for only a couple of weeks.

I went and sat down beside her, still brushing at the knots that had collected at the ends of my hair. She smiled at me as I sat down before returning her gaze to the TV. It was a music channel and it was playing the Top 20 singles. I didn't really pay all that much attention to the latest music considering most of it was usually crappy rappers trying to make a name for themselves with a tune that seemed to only have a few lines to it and just kept repeating it.

"Come here," she said softly, taking the brush from my hand and turning me around so she could continue what I'd started. I smiled as I felt her hands run through my hair and occasionally her cold fingers would slide across my neck or down my back eliciting a shiver not only from the coolness.

"You know, we should probably head to school before people start turning up,"

"Mmm…" I mumbled in agreement whilst concentrating on those cool fingers which still caressed their way through my hair. "Yeah…"

She laughed then, "Come on," she said standing, a huge grin on her face and holding out her hand. I took it and felt her hands immediately cool my heated ones. I turned off the TV, grabbed my stuff and headed out making sure Romeo was fine whilst all the time holding onto my 'friend's' cool hand.

There was no one at school other than the teachers by the time we arrived so we headed up to the viewing gallery like before and waited for the bell for first period to ring. We left separately so no one would put two and two together, leaving about a minute between our exits. We agreed to meet up there at the end of the day again to wait for everyone to leave again.

And that's what happened for the rest of the week; Miley called around early in a morning and dropped me back off at home where she usually stayed for an hour or so, just hanging out in my living room or sometimes working on our Psychology project.

"You were wrong about Mrs Stevens hating me?" Miley said randomly on the Friday night, interrupting the comfortable silence we'd fallen into whilst doing research for our project, sprawled across my bedroom floor.

"Huh? What makes you say that?"

"This," she said grinning and held up a paper. I recognised it as the essay we'd handed in on Monday and I noticed the red marker pen in the top corner.

"B plus, nice one Miles," I said lifting my hand for a high five which she happily reciprocated.

"I know," she grinned, "What did you get on it?"

"A minus," I shrugged, "without sounding big-headed or anything but that paper should totally have been an A plus – it's because she hates me,"

"Why don't you bring it up with the school board?"

"What and be the snivelling nerd who's unhappy with A grades? Nah, its more trouble than it's worth,"

"But you shouldn't let her get away with penalising you," she said shuffling over a little closer.

"I'm a big girl Miles," I smirked. "I can handle someone disliking me,"

"I know but it's not fair on you,"

I shrugged, "Life isn't fair," I said, pausing. "But hey, a B plus!"

"I know!" she grinned again before placing her hand on mine. That tingling feeling coursed through my veins again. "And it's all because of you,"

"Thanks but you did all the work," I told her, feeling that electricity begin to settle in the pit of my stomach.

"Only because you made me understand it. Thank you," she continued in that same soft tone. The atmosphere in the room suddenly went from studious to fun and chatty to serious and intimate in a matter of moments.

"N-no problem," I stammered out as I realised just how dry my mouth had become.

"You know, I should thank you for more than that. I mean, you've been like the best friend I've had since I moved here and…" she paused as if she wasn't sure how to word what she was thinking, "It sounds really cliché but… I feel more like _me_ when I'm with you."

I gulped in response, unable to think of anything to say and even if I did, my dry mouth wouldn't have allowed me to form the words anyway. She squeezed my hand and kept her ocean eyes locked on mine.

"Look, I know we said friends first and everything and we haven't really known each other properly for all that long… I just need you to know that, well, I like you. I like you a hell of a lot, more than what I expected I could ever like anyone. Now I'm not saying 'I love you' because I know it's way too early for that…but I do care for you… so much," she smiled softly and squeezed my hand again, "You don't have to say anything back…I just needed you to know that,"

-x-

"And then she went real quiet and just watched me, as if she were trying to read my mind or something," I rambled to Mik the next night. It was Saturday and we'd been sharing Mik's board at the new skate park most of the day with Oliver and most of the gang – minus Johnny for obvious reasons, such as his still swollen eye and the fact he hated me now; you win some, you loose some.

"So what did you say?" she asked excitedly, shifting closer on the sofa.

"I believe my exact words were: 'phlagem gloogen feeber'," I said in gibberish to which Mik burst out laughing. "It's not funny Mik! I didn't know what to say and my mouth was so dry…"

"So you just sat there after she poured her heart out to you?" asked Mik, her smile fading to seriousness.

"No… well sort of but she said she had to go anyway… and she, well, went,"

"Fuck me you're dim sometimes," Mik exclaimed, "She _didn't_ have to leave, Lilly! She was hurt that you sat there gawping at her like a drowning fish not saying anything. Sure she said you didn't have to say anything back but she won't have _meant _it! She'll have been waiting for at least a 'thank you' or for you to say, well, _anything_,"

"What was I supposed to say?" I argued. It wasn't anger that made me raise my voice, rather frustration that I'd acted like such a dick to Miley after she'd opened up to me. Why didn't I say _something_?

"Well that depends," she said becoming deadly serious, "Do _you_ 'care for her' like how she 'cares for you'?"

I paused, not wanting to answer too soon. "I-I think so," I admitted but Mik's serious demeanour didn't change.

"Lilly, this is me – I know that you _know_… there's no '_think'_ about it is there?"

"No," I whispered quietly. I did like Miley in a hell of a more than friendly way; I'd known that from the start when I kissed her under the bleachers… but having her basically say she loved me but in different words put a hell of a lot of questions in my mind. Did I really want to be with a _girl?_ Could I handle the ridicule and bullying if it ever got out? Sure we've slept together already but we were bladdered… will I know what to do when sober? Did I –

"Lilly?" said Mik, bringing me out of my mind. "What were you thinking about?"

"Can I borrow your car?" I blurted out, taking her by surprise.

[Miley]

"No…" I mumbled as I watched each light in the long hallway dull into darkness. I flicked the switches but the lights refused to come back on. I felt so alone in this tangible blackness, the heat of the room licking at my skin, wrapping itself around my body in a snare which I struggled to escape. Suddenly, the darkness which ensnared me shook me, shaking me from side to side. It was going to torture me before it took me back to its lair…

"Miley!" came the hushed shout which woke me from my slumber. It was too dark to see the face which hovered above me. I recognised that I was in bed and the panic began to subside knowing it was simply a dream but this dark figure in my dark room didn't reduce my terror all that much; I was still too hot and felt tangled.

"Who is it?" I croaked out, trying to hide some of the anxiety in my voice. Was this still part of my dream? The figure reached out and I flinched, preparing myself but instead my bedroom flickered into life as they turned on my bedside lamp to reveal the blonde who stood before me. "Lilly? What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry," she said, ignoring the question I'd just asked her. "I was an idiot before… but I'll make it up to you, if you let me that is. Come with me?"

"Huh?" was all I could think of as the babbling blonde came to the end of her rushed sentence. I sat up and realised my duvet was wrapped tightly around my body – guess I knew why the smothering heat entered my dream.

She sighed and held out her hand, "Just trust me. Please?"

I took a few moments to analyse the situation. I'd told Lilly how I felt about her and she said nothing – well, gibberish – in return and now she was stood apologising in my room in the middle of the night. What the hell? Did she care about me or not… No, Miley, you know she does but what you don't know is why she practically turned to stone when you voiced your feelings. She definitely likes me, why else would she check me out on the stairs or hold my hand all the time or blush when I took things the wrong way… why was she here?

"How did you even get in?" I questioned. Maurice had never met her, and I don't think I'd ever mentioned her so why would he let her in… in the middle of the night no less.

"I said I was a friend of Johnny's and that he asked me to pick some stuff up for him," she grinned before her face turned serious again. "Please Miles, come with me,"

I hesitated for a moment before taking her outstretched hand. She smiled gratefully and helped pull me out of the tangled sheets.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I pulled on a hooded jumper over my pyjama top and replaced my pyjama shorts with a pair of jeans which I hastily pulled on. I was still too tired to go find better clothing.

"This is where the trust comes in," she said and her tone filled me with some kind of dread. She smiled trying to reassure me but I could see in her eyes her own uncertainty. What I didn't expect was for her to pull a scarf out of her back pocket and hold it up. It took a moment or two but I figured out what she was wanting.

"Blindfolded? You want me to go with you, wherever it is you're taking me, blindfolded?" I asked, utterly perplexed at her still unspoken request. I glanced over at my alarm clock. "You want me to go out at 1am, blindfolded?"

"I said that it was where the trust came in," she muttered, obviously embarrassed. "I know it's weird but you have to trust me,"

"Hmm…" I said, exhaling deeply, my arms crossed as I contemplated it. "Fine,"

She cautiously wrapped the scarf around my head but I caught her wrist. I felt her tense, terrified, and I felt bad for reacting so quickly and catching her off-guard.

"Are you not taking me outside of my house?" I asked her.

"Yes," she said, obviously not seeing where I was going with this.

"And presumably into a car or something…"

"Yeah…"

"So do you think that a blindfold is necessary in my own home?"

"Oh. Yeah… shit sorry," she said pulling the blindfold off. She chuckled lightly to cover her own embarrassment.

"'S okay," I muttered before heading towards the door. "We going?"

"Sorry," she muttered again and hurried towards the door and headed out. I felt bad for being slightly curt with her but she had awoken me in the middle of the night after leaving me hanging on Friday.

We crept down the two flights of stairs to reach the ground floor and headed out the front door, closing it quietly for fear of waking anyone in the house.

"Whose is the car?" I asked as I climbed into the green Volkswagen Beetle.

"Mik's," she replied, turning the key in the ignition and heading out of the gates. Once out, she pulled up and held out the scarf. "Trust me, okay?"

"'Kay," I said and allowed her to try the scarf around my head, blackening my vision.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked.

"I don't know; I'm _blindfolded_," I said sarcastically and she lightly slapped my thigh before she set off driving again. I tried to follow where we were going by the turns she made but soon I lost track, surely she was turning more often then necessary, I felt like we'd gone in circles – she must be trying to stop me from guessing where she was taking me. What was this game she was playing?

"Okay, we're here," she said some time later. I had absolutely no idea where she'd brought me; I couldn't keep track of her driving. "Stay there, I'll come a round,"

Within seconds Lilly was opening the passenger door and helping me climb out of the car, I wobbled slightly but she kept me upright. I heard the car door slam shut and the click of the lock. I could hear that there were no other cars around and I could hear the sound of the ocean, and for a fleeting moment I thought she was going to toss me over a cliff.

She wrapped her arm around my waist and took my hand into her free hand, guiding me seemingly away from the car. Despite being still tired and still slightly pissed at Lilly for not responding the other night, I couldn't help but feel the electricity tingle where her arm was wrapped securely around my waist. Instead of becoming obsessed with that sensation I tried to focus on figuring out where I was. The ground was reasonably soft underfoot, like grass and I could hear the ocean so…

"Miley," Lilly said, startling me. She removed her arm from my waist and took both my hands in hers. It was only then that I realised how cold I was and how warm Lilly's hands were. "I'm gonna take the blindfold off now but I just want you to know… I've never shared this with anyone before and I've never wanted to, until now that is,"

"Okay," I said, hearing sincerity in her voice. Her warm fingers untied the knot in the scarf and I opened my eyes. Lilly smiled at me briefly before turning me to one side and I felt physically winded from the view.

"Oh wow," I breathed, automatically clutching Lilly's hand. We were at the very edge of the cliff at Silver Point looking out to the sea. I'd never been quite this close to the edge for fear of falling but I felt safe here with Lilly. The moon was full and hung idly in the sky as if hung by some invisible thread from the heavens themselves. Its ghostly pallor casting a silvery glow across the ocean as far as I could see, the waves throwing back the silver rays making the water below look like it was liquid silver rippling against the coast and out to see. It was beyond beautiful. Even the sparse clouds were glowing with the silvery light… clouds with silver linings – I didn't know that was even possible, I thought it was a just figure of speech.

"Lilly, this is just… wow. Thank you for bringing me here," I said, barely tearing my eyes away from the beautiful sight to look at the one by my side.

"I'm sorry for being a dick before; I should have –"

"Lilly," I interrupted her; "It's my fault. I shouldn't have took it so personally; you're not there yet and that's okay and –"

"Miles," she said, interrupting me this time, placing her hand over my mouth. "I am _there_," she said and I felt my heart skip a beat. "I care for you like you care for me. I want you Miley. I really do… I'm just scared. I'm scared of myself; I've never felt anything like this before,"

I squeezed her hand which I still held, unable to say anything around the thickness in my throat.

"Please say something," she almost pleaded her voice barely more than a hoarse whisper, the sheer desperation and vulnerability in her voice surprised me; hard skater girl Lilly could be vulnerable – that's a new one.

I didn't say anything. Instead, I removed my hand from hers and pulled her close to me, capturing her lips with my own. I expected maybe a moments hesitation from the blonde but almost as soon as my lips touched hers, her arms were around my neck pulling me in closer. I grinned into the kiss at this and she pulled away, her eyes searching mine for what had caused my smile.

"What?" she asked, presumably worried it was something she did.

"Nothing," I muttered before taking her bottom lip in between my own, my hands snaking around her waist. Her lips tasted even better than I remembered from the night of my birthday and new sensations were appearing, like how I could smell the citrusy scent of her shampoo and hear the soft, satisfied moans that escaped from her lips. Above all else I could hear my heartbeat going wild in my ears, beating hard against my chest. Merely kissing her like this seemed like it was going to push me towards a heart attack, I'd never been so elated from simply kissing someone.

Lilly pulled away, resting her forehead on mine as she breathed deeply. "I swear I saw fireworks then," she murmured softly, smiling; her hands still snaked around my neck.

"Mmm," I agreed, content in her arms and with her in mine. I shivered slightly and Lilly immediately pulled back.

"My god, you're freezing," she said taking my hand and pulling, "Let's get you back to the car,"

"Lilly. Lilly!" I repeated, stopping her. "I don't want to leave yet. I'll be fine. I'll be more than fine… here …in the silver moonlight …with you," I said, putting extra emphasis on that last one.

"Okay," she said after a moment's deliberation. "But you're wearing my jacket or we leave," she added, shrugging off her jacket. I tried to decline but she insisted. I pulled it on and untucked my hood so it went over the top. I snuggled into the warmth of the jacket and unconsciously inhaled the scent of Lilly. "Come here," she said as she sat down on the ground, pulling me down with her so that I sat in between her legs, leaning back against her chest and resting my head on her shoulder.

"You know, I could get used to this," I smiled as she wrapped her warm arms around me. She mumbled her agreement as she kissed the crook of my neck lovingly and I shivered again, but not due to a lack of warmth. "Why haven't you shared this with anyone else?" I asked, breaking that comfortable silence we so often fall into, indicating out to the silver waves of the ocean.

"It's always been a really personal place for me… when my mom and dad argued, I used to get scared and run away so I couldn't hear it. I ended up coming here almost every night the months leading up to their divorce. I got to know which nights made the most silver and which produced the least… I could time which time of night would be the best – I knew everything about this place because my I ran away from home each night to sit here simply watching, thinking… I didn't want anyone intruding on that memory of finding peace here,"

"So why bring me here?" I questioned after allowing the information to sink in. She sighed and held tighter to me.

"Because you're special," she smirked kissing into my hair and I felt my heart swell with emotion. For several minutes I sat there in Lilly's warm embrace, watching the night sky around us, Lilly's gentle breathing in my ear and I knew I'd never felt so… so at peace, with _everything_. It was a truly amazing feeling, to feel like the whole world had stopped to allow us to have this one moment of true contentment with each other, no fear that one was feeling more than the other and no fear of anyone walking in on this precious moment.

"You see that airplane, right there," I said breaking that silence, pointing up into the sky. I felt her nod, her cheek brushing against the side of my head. "Can we pretend it's a shooting star?"

"Why?" she questioned softly, her hand moving from where it was positioned on my waist to entwine her fingers with mine.

"'Cause I could really use a wish right now," I said as I stared at our entwined hands.

"What do you wish for?" she whispered in my ear.

"To stay here forever," I paused, "With you,"

I felt her sigh happily behind me, "You'd probably freeze to death," she said as she wrapped her other arm tighter around me, "Forever's an awfully long time…"

"You think so?" I asked, turning in her embrace to look into her beautiful blue eyes. "I don't think it's long enough,"

She smiled and I leaned up and she met my lips half way and we shared a kiss which was so full of emotion that it made my stomach do flips and somersaults.

"Hey, Maurice, open up," I said into the intercom, leaning across Lilly to get close enough. As I did so, I heard Lilly's breathing hitch and I turned to face her, my eyes wide and a grin across my face. She smiled but I could see in her eyes that she was demonstrating some serious self-control. It took my own self control to stop myself from kissing her madly right there and then when I was supposed to be concentrating on what Maurice was saying.

"What was that Maurice?" I questioned, tearing myself away from Lilly's stare.

"I thought you were upstairs in bed and yet you've been out gallivanting with a stranger who lied to get into the house – what were you thinking Miley? Do you know how worried people would have been if we'd gone in your room to find you missing?"

"Lilly isn't a stranger and it was kinda of a surprise to me too," I grinned, winking at Lilly before turning back to the intercom. "Just let us in please,"

"Fine, but don't let it happen again without prior notice,"

"Sure, Maurice." I said settling back into the passenger seat as the gates swung open. Lilly drove right up to the steps leading to the front door. "You could always stay over… it _is_ almost half-three in the morning,"

"Erm…" she said hesitating.

"I'm not going to ravage you in your sleep if that's what you think," I laughed but her face remained serious.

"It's the fact that I'm scared _I'll_ be the one doing the ravaging," she said which immediately stopped my laughing, "I know I'm not ready but… you're pretty tempting to say the least and I think I wouldn't be able to help myself,"

"Oh," was the only sound which escaped my mouth. I could hardly believe what she'd just admitted.

"And now I've made you feel awkward," she said, slumping back into her seat. "Damn it Lilly, why couldn't you just politely decline?"

"Lilly, you haven't made me feel awkward. Not in the slightest," I told her, taking her hand. "In fact, I think that now you've said that, I wouldn't be able to control _myself_,"

She smirked, "So I'll just head home and you know, take a cold shower." She leant over and kissed me, her free hand holding my face gently.

"So I'll see you…" I whispered as we pulled away from each other.

"Yeah…" she mumbled as she pushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. I paused for a few more moments before exiting the car. Reaching my front door I turned to see Lilly sat watching me. She waved and I waved back, grinning before I finally went inside the house. I leant against the cool wood of the door and heard Lilly drive away a few moments later. I sighed, revelling in how happy I felt.

"Miss Stewart, are you going to explain yourself? Where did you go at such an hour?"asked Maurice entering the room. "And who is that girl?"

"That girl is Lilly and she's the most amazing person I've ever met," I said grinning, still tasting her on my lips as I spoke.

"Why haven't you mentioned her before?"

"I mentioned I had a new friend before my gig the other week,"

"That brief mention is hardly enough to constitute disappearing in the middle of the night,"

"Sorry," I told him. "I should have mentioned her a little more. Can I go up to bed now?"

"Okay," he sighed, "But I'll have to tell your father you know,"

"He'll ground me!"

"It's my _job_; I think he'd like to know that his daughter is disappearing during the night to gallivant around with her new friend,"

"I wasn't gallivanting! We sort of had a bit of a… I don't know what it was but she came to apologise and make it up to me. It wasn't a planned outing,"

"Couldn't it wait until morning? Anyway, just go up to bed. I'll not tell your father but _you_ should,"

"But –" I started.

"Miley," he said, obviously tired of arguing, "Just go to bed." He said before turning and leaving. I couldn't really be mad at him; I hadn't mentioned Lilly before… I guess I just wanted to keep her to myself but now… were we _girlfriends_? Could I keep such a special relationship secret to avoid any disapproval from my family? Do I – no, _can I_ come out to my dad? To Maurice? To _Jackson_? What will they think of me? Will they let me see Lilly if I do tell them? So many questions and no answers that my tired mind could think of.

I eventually trudged up the two flights of stairs to the third floor and to my bedroom where I collapsed onto my unmade bed, allowing sleep to flood my mind easily and send me back into that dark dream where I was stranded alone in the night.

**AN: Please please review and tell me what you think :) Thank you to everyone whose been reviewing, favouriting and alerting - I love you guys :) **

**Oh, I know have that formspring thingy so you can ask questions about fics, life in general... anything really :) Links on my profile. And as always, stay tuned x**


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey, this is the longest chapter I've done as of yet, almost 8500 words! Wow, new record for me lol. **

**The first Miley POV of this chapter starts at the same time as Lilly's so they overlap... hope you don't get confused to why the time jumps back several hours. Anyway, I'll just get on with it now. Enjoy x**

**Chapter Nine: **Your Love Is My Drug

[Lilly]

"So how'd it go last night? Or rather, this morning?" asked Mik excitedly through the open window as I parked up, returning her car around lunchtime.

"It was… incredible," I grinned, climbing out of the car and handing her the keys.

"Oh yeah?" she said winking, taking my arm and pulling me into her house.

"Yeah,"

"So you kissed her?"

"Isn't that what you were insinuating?" I questioned as we sat down on her couch. Her house was actually smaller than mine yet felt more spacious… maybe due to the lack of furnishings. Mik's parents were hardly ever home, constantly on business trips or away with work, leaving Mik alone most of the time – most of her life in fact.

"Well yeah but I was just making sure. So what was it like?"

I smiled nervously, Mik and I talk about boyfriends and things but now this was a girl, it was like a whole new level. "It was perfect," I admitted, unable to think of another adjective which would describe last night the best.

"_Perfect_? Wow, that's one hell of a kiss," breathed Mik.

"Well actually… it was kind of more than one," I smirked, feeling a slight blush at the memory.

"You whore!" she laughed and I slapped her arm feigning offense. "So on a scale of one to ten… how good?"

"Like… a billion," I grinned, falling back onto the seat so I was practically laid down, simply letting the sensation of Miley's lips moving with mine wash over me.

"Nice. And in comparison to Lucas?" she added cautiously, not wanting to piss me off.

"_Please_," I said stressing the word as I sat up to face her again, "Lucas was a crap kisser and his hands were always _everywhere_, it wasn't so much a kiss as CPR!" I laughed.

"When are you going to see her again?"

"Jesus Mik, what's with all the questions? It isn't the Spanish Inquisition,"

"Sorry, I just like to know these things… and what was the Spanish Inquisition?"

"It's … It's… you know, I have no idea. It's an expression…"

"Hmm… do you love her?" she asked after a few moments and that question took me completely by surprise.

"Don't you think it's a little early for declarations of love? But I think I could… I probably will…" I answered honestly. "I think love should be like a drug, you know, where you just can't get enough of each other and when you're with them, it's the best time of your life and everything seems bigger, brighter, better somehow… and when they leave, you feel like crap and you're desperate for your next fix. Love should be irresistible,"

Mik just stared at me when I came to the end of my little speech, her brown eyes somewhat surprised as she watched me. "Wow Lilly," she said finally, putting her hand on my arm, "Who knew you could be so philosophical,"

"It's hardly philosophical Mik, more metaphorical," I surmised with a grin.

"So _do you_ find her irresistible? Do you crave her until your next fix?" she question, one dark eyebrow raised quizzically.

"Uh huh," I nodded my head shyly. The grin on Mik's face just made my face heat up like a furnace and I grabbed a cushion and shoved it over my face. As soon as I did it, I regretted it. Mik dived on me, her hands tickling my sides as I tried, and failed, to kick her away. Mik was stronger than me when it came to these tickle-fights.

She only stopped when we both heard the vibration of my phone and the ringtone which was muffled as it was squashed between our bodies. She released her hold on me, snatched my phone out of my jeans pocket before I had chance to move then grabbed both my wrists in one hand to stop me snatching the phone back.

"Hey!" I protested as I tried to wriggle out of her hold on me. She knelt on either side of me and ended up trapping my arms to my side, meaning her hands were free to go into my inbox and read the message.

"'Lilly, last night was _amazing_. I want to do you right now, so get your sexy ass over here right now!'" she proclaimed, reading the text. I stopped struggling.

"Does it really say that?" I asked, shocked and slightly dumbfounded…. She knew I wasn't ready for _that_.

"Uh-huh, she says she's got her strap-on ready," she said, barely hiding the smirk that began to spread across her face.

"You're lying," I stated as I began struggling to release myself from her knees which pinned my arms down.

"You really believed that innocent little Miley would be waiting for you with a _strap-on_?" she laughed, "Please, if she didn't sleep with Jake she's hardly going to be adventurous enough for _that_, is she?"

"She didn't sleep with Jake?" I asked, stopping my struggling again as I let the new information flood over me.

"Oh god, you didn't know? I thought you knew," she said as she scrambled off of me.

I sat up and took a deep breath before saying the question that was sounding loud in my head, "I… I was… I took her… she… virgin?"

"Yeah… I'm sorry, I thought you knew," she repeated and I shook my head. "She's only ever dated Jake Ryan since she first came here however many years ago… he slept around because she wouldn't give it up. I think she only found out he was a slag at her birthday…when she… when you… I'll shut up now,"

"…she…" I trailed off, not knowing where that sentence was even going.

"Lilly, it's not as if you've had all that much experience either. It was only Lucas and from what you said it didn't last all that long anyway…."

"That's not the point…"

"So what is?"

"I don't know," I sighed. I really didn't know. I mean, technically, virginity was a good thing and I wish I still was one considering my first was a tosser like Lucas. There was just that niggling feeling that I didn't quite understand.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"That I don't know why her being a virgin before me should change anything,"

"It shouldn't. I mean, virginity these days is a hard thing to come by,"

"You should know," I laughed and she punched my arm. She didn't do it to bruise me but enough to sting.

"Hey! I've slept with only three people in my almost-nineteen years,"

"The first being someone old enough to be your father!" I laughed again and received another punch, slightly harder this time.

"Hey, he was younger than he looked and he was really sweet,"

"Mik. You were 15! He was like, thirty! He was a dirty perv!"

"Don't say that, Trent was a lovely guy."

"A lovely _perv_," I laughed again and dodged another punch, catching her fist in my hand. "Talking of your sexual behaviour… how is Oliver?"

"You'll laugh," she warned, her lips curling into a sly smile. "He's upstairs,"

"Whore!" I shouted and she punched me again when I failed to dodge it.

"Shush you'll wake him," she laughed as she began tickling me again.

"Hey! What. What did the – ow, that one hurt – text say?" I stammered out between shrieks.

"She wants to know if you're doing anything today," she winked. "Seriously, I'm not lying this time. Look for yourself,"

"I believe you,"

"Ooh ooh, I know!" said Mik jumping up and down like a school kid desperate to be chosen to say the answer. "You should totally double date with me and Oliver tonight! You have no choice about it Lils, you are coming,"

"I'll have to ask her… if she doesn't want to then I'm not gonna force her,"

"So snog her face off? She'll come then – no pun intended," she grinned.

"Fucking hell Mik – you're filthy,"

"I learnt from the best," she smirked, blowing on her nails and shining them on her shirt. I shoved her backwards playfully.

"Yeah thirty year old filthy _pervs_," I laughed.

"Oi shush you. Here," she said handing me my phone. "Ask her,"

I opened up my inbox. It was a simple text from her which _did_ ask if I was busy today. I typed a response asking if she wanted to double date with Mik and Oliver tonight, and that she didn't have to if she didn't want to.

"Sent." I said, slipping my phone into my pocket again.

"Good," she said then raised an eyebrow and smirked as my phone vibrated and started ringing that annoying message tone. "That was quick,"

I pulled out my phone and opened the inbox. _Sure, um where? When? Want me to pick you up? xx_

"She says where and when?" I said to Mik, opening up a blank message ready to type.

"Pete's Place. Um… 7 okay?" she asked and I nodded, sending Miley the message and adding on that she could pick me up if she wanted. Pete's Place was a Pizzeria which was very quiet despite doing the best pizzas, like, ever! No one would see Miley and I there; we could remain a secret a little longer.

"Jesus," said Mik as my phone blared again. "She sure likes you,"

"Who wouldn't?" I smirked as I saw the text which said she'd come by my house at 6:30pm.

"Lilly? What are you doing here? What time is it?" said a voice and I turned to see Oliver dressed in just his boxers and Mik's silky blue dressing gown. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, his hair was pretty much all over as if someone had picked him up in the night by his ankles and vacuumed the floor with his head.

"It's after midday Oliver," I smirked.

"We're going on a double date with Lilly and Miley tonight, hun," said Mik to the tired boy. He muttered an 'hmm sure' clearly not knowing what Mik had actually said as he made his way into the kitchen.

"How long till he realises what you said?" I whispered to her.

She smiled, glanced over to Oliver who was drinking milk out of the carton, "3…2…"

Right on cue Oliver spurt the milk out of his mouth, "What? Date? Lilly, Miley? Huh?"

"Yes. Lilly and Miley are double-dating with us tonight. Problem?"

"Hot…"

"Oliver!" we both yelled.

"Whoa, sorry. I meant, _cool_,"

"Yeah whatever," said Mik and then looked down at the milk on her floor. "Clean that up,"

"What did you're last slave die of?" muttered Oliver as he went to get a cloth.

"Not obeying orders," she laughed.

-x-

I heard Miley pull up outside at 6:30pm sharp. I headed down the stairs to go open the door for her. I'd just reached the bottom step when she knocked on the door. I smiled and went the rest of a way in a half walk half run kind of speed. I pulled open my door and my jaw dropped.

"Wow,"

[Miley]

"Mmmm…" the content sigh escaped my mouth as I stretched. I stretched right down to my toes and right up to my fingertips. I smiled. I loved stretching; that feeling you get of reawakening your body for a brand new day, one full of possibilities and you get your body ready to take it on. I only stretched like this occasionally, only when I was happy to be awake. This morning I was definitely happy to be awake; last night had played over and over in my mind, creeping into my dreams and saving me from that darkness.

I sat up and stretched again, lifting my arms high above my head before allowing them to flop back down. I glanced at the clock; almost 12. Maurice normally came to wake me at 10 at the latest unless I'd been out such as last night. Ahhh last night, I smiled again at the memory again. The smile faded when I remembered Maurice's words: 'I'll not tell your father but _you_ should.'

"Hmmm…" I murmured, no longer having that content feeling that last night had presented me with. Lilly's theory on Silver Point may not be the _actual_ reason behind the place name but I couldn't think of anything which could top it; it was truly breathtaking and I can see it becoming a special place to us… at least I hope so. Lilly said it was a personal place to her, that she'd never shared it with anyone yet she shared it with me, _me!_ And she said that _I _was special… no one, well except my dad, has called me that before. The schoolgirl giddiness returned and I could feel my 'signature smile' spread across my face.

I stood and ran a hand through my knotty hair. I really should tie it up sometimes; it bugs the hell out of me. I headed over to my bathroom, stripping various bits of clothing off as I went before jumping into the shower, allowing the water wash over my face and wash away all the fear of telling my father that I went out in the middle of the night with my _girlfriend_. The fear didn't wash away.

"Maybe if I tell Jackson first…" I mused out loud; I find the shower is where I do all my most important thinking.

"Tell Jackson what first?"

"Jackson?" I screamed at the voice, hurriedly covering myself up with the shower curtain. I poked my head around to look into my bathroom and there he was. "What the _actual _fuck?"

"What?" he questioned as he leant against the blue tiled wall. How the hell did he even get in without me hearing the door open?

"What do you mean 'what'? You're in _my_ bathroom!" I yelled from around the curtain but he just shrugged. "What's wrong with you? You're my brother and you're in my bathroom where I'm showering…_naked_!" I added, emphasising the word trying to make it clear to him.

"So? It's not like I can see anything," he shrugged. "Have you seen my um… magazine?" he said looking around.

"Why the hell would your magazine be in my bathroom?" I asked, going back under the stream of water. "Your room is in the west wing, I'm in east so how could it get up and walk over here?"

"I dunno… maybe you borrowed it without knowing it was mine?" he said, raising his voice slightly.

"Why would I borrow it?" I questioned, rinsing the conditioner from my hair.

"It was a Victoria's Secret magazine, that's why?" he said and my head shot around the curtain again.

"You _know?_" I almost hissed at him. How could he possibly know? No one knew.

"Well I _was_ joking… but this is far more fun," he grinned crossing his arms. "So my little sister get's all hot and bothered over pretty ladies in magazines?" he said putting on a mocking voice.

Shit. He didn't know. "Do you even think about what you're saying before you say it?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" he said then I saw realisation cross his face. "Ew… oh god, I'm gonna be sick. Images! Mental images!"

"Serves you right!" I told him turning off the water. "Either get out or pass me that towel," I said pointing to the towel on the radiator, wrapping the curtain protectively around myself. He chose to toss me the towel. Damn, I thought he'd leave. He tossed the towel and I caught it. I smiled at how I managed to neither fall nor release the curtain in the process.

I wrapped the towel securely around myself and got out. "So why are you in here if you aren't looking for a lingerie magazine?"

"That doesn't matter anymore. First, what did you think I knew? And second, what did you mean when you said 'maybe I'll tell Jackson first'?" He said taking a seat on the closed toilet lid.

"Dude, can this not wait till I'm, oh I don't know – _dressed?"_

"No – it gives you time to make up a lie," he surmised, grinning. "So…."

"I don't know… can I not tell you later?" I asked and he shook his head.

"Okay, I'll ask the question and you answer. What did you think I knew when I mentioned Victoria's Secret?"

"Jackson… please, not now," I told him, wrapping a second towel around my hair. He didn't respond but just watched me blankly, his mind elsewhere.

"Oh my god… I know what it is," he said, his eyes wide with a mixture of realisation and surprise. "You're gay!"

"Shut up!" I hissed, "Do you want the whole house to hear?"

"Fuck, it _is_ true. My sister's a dyke," he almost laughed.

"I'm not a dyke," I retaliated, "keep your mouth shut,"

"You so are! That's what you meant, tell me first before you break it to dad," he stood up, he was jittery with a big grin on his face. "Oh this is going to be gold,"

"What? Jackson, no! Please, don't tell anyone. Not even dad… I'm not ready for people to know yet," I practically begged.

"Relax Miles, I may enjoy making your life hell upon occasion but I know where to draw the line. I'm your brother, you can trust me,"

"Thanks Jackson," I smiled, sighing a breath of relief. "Are you… are you okay with it? You're not grossed out or anything are you?"

"Miles, you're my sister – you _always_ gross me out," he chuckled, "but no, seriously, I love you no matter what,"

"Thanks. That means a lot," I told him feeling pretty emotional towards him. "I'd hug you but erm…" I looked down at the white towel which was the only thing covering my modesty.

"Yeah," he grinned before turning to leave. "Oh and I was coming to tell you that Hannah's manager just called about next weekend,"

"Right, thanks," I smiled but inside my stomach was tightening. Did I tell Lilly that I was Hannah Montana? I mean she's a fan – she was at the gig at Mik's Uncle's club… would she act weird about it? But how long can I hide such a big part of my life from her? If she didn't take it well … would she tell my secret?

"No… she wouldn't," I mumbled.

"What was that?" asked Jackson, turning. I looked up to see him about to leave my room. I shook my head and he smiled before leaving, closing the door behind him. I know Lilly wouldn't tell. But how she would react… I didn't know. Would she treat me differently?

"Stop," I said to myself, wiping steam off of the mirror. "You _have_ too." After all, how much of a relationship could I have with this big secret hanging over me? She shared something so special with me last night… I need to share my special thing with her.

I headed into my room and quickly pulled on some underwear, while still wearing the towel in case my weirdo brother returned. He didn't and I pulled on some sweatpants and a shirt before grabbing my phone. It was half-twelve, Lilly would be up, I thought as I typed the message.

_Hey, I had the best time last night. You busy today? xx _I sent the text and tossed my phone onto my bed as I rubbed a towel through my hair, soaking up the excess water. My ringtone sounded some five minuets or so later.

_Me too :) I'm at Mik's, she's invited us to double date tonight – you don't have to if you don't want. L xx_

Double date? With Mik and that Oliver? I don't really know them but they seem cool; and Mik's been really supportive of Lilly and I…

_Sure, um where? When? Want me to pick you up? xx _I texted back. Then thought about how quickly I responded… would she think I was desperate? I scoffed at myself, get a grip – this girl likes you, don't panic about seeming a little desperate!

_Pete's Place. 7pm. You can pick me up if you want :) L xx _Came her response. I smiled. The little smiley faces she put in the texts just made me think of her actual smile which I loved.

"I'll. Come. Round. At. 6:30. See. You. Then. Smiley face. Kiss. Kiss." I said the words as I typed them, grinning at how strange I would have I sounded to anyone else.

I was still smiling as I descended the stairs, tying my wet hair in a loose plait which came around and rested against my neck and dangled down my chest. I inhaled and could smell grilled cheese. Maurice must be making my dad lunch… and it smelt so good.

"Afternoon," I grinned, entering the kitchen.

"Hey bud," smiled my dad, patting the stool next to him at the breakfast bar. He put down his paper. "What's put you in a good mood?"

Jackson smirked at me from behind my dad, making certain gestures. "I'm going out with some friends tonight. For dinner… Pizza,"

"Oh. Who with? Traci and them?"

"No," I scoffed, "Um… remember that new friend I mentioned?" I said and received a look from Maurice. "Well I'm going out with her." I didn't realise what I'd said till Jackson smirked and laughed silently. "I mean, her and her friends."

"It's nice to see you're making new friends," said my dad, before taking a bite of the grilled cheese. "So what's these friends of yours called?"

"Well, there's Lilly, then her friends are Mik and Oliver,"

"Two guys?" asked my dad. "Is this a date or something?" That amused Jackson no end.

"No. Mik is a girl. _Mik_ayla," I told him and he nodded, more concerned with his lunch.

"Three girls and one guy? Poor lad… or just really smart," he chuckled.

"Actually, Oliver is Mik's boyfriend," I told him and then wished I hadn't; I knew what was coming.

"So you and this Lilly girl are going to intrude on a _date_?" he said. Yep, I expected that. I saw Jackson raise an eyebrow then his jaw dropped as he put two and two together. 'You and _Lilly_?' he mouthed dramatically. My dad took another bite and while his attention was elsewhere I mouthed at Jackson to keep quiet.

"Well they're all best friends so it's not like we're intruding…" I said. "Have you done something with you're hair?" I hated myself to stooping so low. I didn't listen to his response, I was just glad to divert his attention before my own father figured it out. I wanted him to know… just not over grilled cheese.

"A-hem," I heard Maurice fake cough. Looking at him he nodded at my dad, telling me with his eyes to talk to him. I sighed before turning to face my dad again.

"Dad. I snuck out last night. With Lilly. We'd had a bit of an argument and she came to apologise. It couldn't wait till morning…" I blurted out. My dad looked slightly taken aback at the confession but then his face smoothed slightly, pleased I'd told him.

"Where did you go?"

"Not far," I lied.

"You do realise that even if you screamed, we probably wouldn't hear you in this big house," he chuckled, turning back to his food. He had a point. "I'm going out tonight too. I have a date with Claire," Jackson and I both rolled our eyes at each other. "I won't be back till late so behave and do as Maurice asks,"

"What? Dad I'm 21; why do I need a babysitter?" complained Jackson.

"Maybe because you act like you need one," I smirked and he stuck out his tongue. "Point proved,"

"As long as you live under my roof, you adhere to my rules," my dad said, refusing to argue with my complaining brother.

~X~

I have _nothing_ to wear! I shouted at myself internally, sinking to the ground feeling defeated. I sat there, my legs crossed Indian style in just my underwear. What do I even wear anyway? I mean, if I go too fancy I'll look silly – it's only pizza, and it's with her friends… If I dress too casually it'll look like I haven't made the effort. Damn it.

I sighed and pulled myself off of the floor. "Surely I have _something_," I muttered as I began searching through the rails and rails of clothes once more. I picked out a plain white shirt and went over to my closet mirror, holding against myself. Too casual? I glanced at the time: 6pm. I had to be at Lilly's for 6:30! And it took me 15 minutes to get there!

"Fuck it, there's no time for anything else," I said to my reflection as I put the shirt on. Once the loose-fitting shirt was on, I pulled my hair out of its loose braid. My hair had dried in that braid and upon release it had more waves and curls than I usually allowed but I settled that it was fine considering my lack of time to tame it. I took a quick look at the weather and saw it still looked pretty warm so I grabbed some shorts and pulled them on.

"Too casual," I frowned at my reflection. "No time though." I sighed, pulled on my vintage combat boots and my purse before practically running down the stairs.

"Slow down bud," my dad laughed as I passed him.

"Hi dad. Bye dad," I said, quickly placing a kiss on his cheek while still running. I applauded myself internally for not falling whilst doing that. My clumsiness returned however when I missed the step into the garage and fell onto my car. The alarm started and the lights flashed.

"Fuck, shit, wanker," I muttered as I unlocked the car and silenced the alarm. I donned my sunglasses and headed towards Lilly's hoping I wasn't going to be too late. I hate being late.

I thankfully arrived at Lilly's in time – after breaking a few speeding laws. I took a deep breath before walking up to the house. I'm dressed too casual; she'll think I haven't made an effort.

"Shut up, Miley," I hissed at myself before knocking on the door. She opened it seconds afterwards, grinning and I felt almost compelled to lean in and capture those lips. Then her jaw dropped slightly.

"Wow,"

[Lilly]

"You know, most people say 'hi' but 'wow' is cool too," she grinned, a slight blush on her cheeks. I didn't really notice the blush though; she looked amazing. The loose-fitting long white shirt contrasted beautifully with her dark brunette locks which fell in beautiful tousled waves down her chest. She also wore short camouflage style shorts which revealed her long, very long, tanned legs ending in the combat boots which looked positively vintage.

"You look… incredible," I said still running my eyes up and down her, from that big white grin to those amazingly long legs.

"Thanks, I thought it was too casual but if it gets that reaction," she smirked, "You're not too bad yourself," she said nodding at my outfit. I scoffed as I looked down on my white shirt with the giant peace sign and my faded ripped jeans. I looked awful in comparison to the bronzed beauty before me.

"Shit, sorry, come in," I said finally having my brain focus at least a little bit.

"Thanks," she chuckled and came in. "Where's this Pete's? I've never heard of it,"

"Pete's a place on the outskirts of town. Serves really good pizza,"

"I thought so – you did say 'Pete's a place'" she smirked and it took a few moments for it sink in. Pete's a place… pizza place. Wow. I'd never noticed that before.

"Clever," I said turning to go grab some money from my room but Miley grabbed my arm. I turned to see what she wanted and she quickly leant in and pushed her lips onto mine. A second of surprise was all I had before I reciprocated the kiss. When she pulled away, I actually groaned.

"Sorry. I just needed to," she said, her face blushing as she looked down at her boots. I hooked my finger and lifted her chin to look her in those ocean eyes before kissing her again, for slightly longer this time.

"Never." I said then went in again for another and again, pulled away, "Apologise." I kissed her again briefly and pulled out. "For." I leant back in, running my tongue along her bottom lip and I heard a moan growl within her. I smiled slightly, putting my hand on her hip and squeezing it slightly as her hand gripped my shoulder. "A kiss," I whispered against her lips, leaving her mouth still puckered slightly and her eyes still closed.

"Wow…" she breathed before opening her eyes.

"Don't cha know it," I joked before heading up the stairs, grabbing some cash and heading back downstairs. She stood exactly where I'd left her. "You okay Miles?" I asked, shoving the money into my pocket.

"Uh-huh… just y'know… flashbacks," she said, her eyes closed and a smile on her face.

"I see," I grinned heading over to her. I crept up to her while her eyes were still clothes and looped my hands around her waist and felt her jump and her eyes pinged open. "Hi there,"

"Hi," she practically purred in that southern accent of hers. Had it ever been _this _noticeable? I don't care, it's hot! I saw her eyes darken and she started leaning in. I felt myself wanting her more than what I was ready for and I pulled back, taking her hand instead.

"Come on," I smiled when I saw sadness in her eyes at the increased distance between us. "Don't wanna be late,"

"'kay," she said, obviously wishing we had a little more time together.

I directed her to Pete's Place on the outskirts of town. The buildings around it were tall and plunged the street around Pete's into an early blackness. The lights from Pete's window cast a welcoming orangey light on the sidewalk. We pulled up behind Mik's Beetle and jumped out, Miley shyly walking just a step behind me as we headed inside.

"Hi. It's either under Oken or Gomez," I told the guy as we went in. He smiled, grateful that he had something to do at last. Pete's was always quiet but it made them happy if we booked a table.

"Yes, of course, right this way," he said with a genuine grin on his face, directing us to a booth on the back wall. Mik and Oliver were gazing into each other's eyes and didn't even notice us arrive.

"Ahem!" I fake coughed, startling the two of them before Miley and I took our seats beside them.

"Would you like some drinks while you go over the menu?" asked the still smiling guy, handing out the leather-binded menus. We ordered a Pepsi each and as he left we opened up the menus. I don't know why I did; I always have the same: Barbeque Deluxe consisting of barbeque sauce, char grilled chicken breast, bacon, and tomatoes. Perfecto.

"What's good here?" asked Miley as she looked over the various pizzas.

"Everything," Mik, Oliver and I all said at once.

"Oh," she laughed.

The guy arrived with our drinks and set them down in front of us that smile still plastered across his face. It made me feel sad that this place was always near enough empty; the food was amazing, the staff were friendly and unlike most places, they had clean restrooms. But, with it being out of the way, it lost most of its custom to places like Pizza Hut which were closer to town.

"You guys ready to order?" he asked. We all glanced at each other and surmised that we were.

"Can I have the Barbeque Deluxe please?" I asked, going first seeing as I was closest to him. He grinned, probably recognising it was my usual considering he always seemed to serve us when we came here.

"I'll have the Hot 'n' Spicy," said Oliver and Mik and I turned to give him a look. "What?"

"Are you sure? You know that's hot 'n' spicy as in _hot 'n' spicy_?" questioned Mik.

"I know, I kinda got that from the title,"

"Fine," she said before turning to the waiter. "He'll have that _and_ a bucket of iced water for when he realises he made a mistake." The waiter chuckled. "I'll have the Hawaiian please,"

He wrote it down and then looked up to Miley, his pen readied to write her order, "And you Miss?"

"The um… Meat Feast please," she said putting the menu down.

"And they're all on your usual Italian base?" he said as he wrote on the little notepad. We told him it was and he collected up the menus. "Would you like some breadsticks for the table?"

"Sure," said Oliver and the waiter disappeared and returned with the breadsticks before disappearing into the kitchen. Oliver quickly dived in to the breadsticks.

"Hey, you'll want to save them for when your mouth's on fire," I warned a grin on my lips. He ignored me and continued eating them.

"So, Miley… what's it like hanging with the 'skaters'?" smiled Mik, leaning on her elbow as she nibbled at a breadstick.

"Better than hanging with cheerleaders," she answered, flashing me a smile.

"Really? So you prefer the hot, sweaty, bruised and grazed type as opposed to the clean, manicured, perfectly preened type?"

"Definitely. Cheerleaders are bitches. We laugh at others misfortune; we're so competitive that even if a 'friend' is taken out of the running we're glad about it. We parade around like we're the best when really we're terrified people won't like us. We're hated by most, feared by others and lusted after by more. People think cheerleaders are just slags and I have to admit, most are but just because we dance in short skirts and date guys who are complete egomaniacs who are only with you for the status… its not necessarily who we are on the inside,"

"Oh…" said Mik, slightly taken aback by Miley's little speech. "Well, I guess that turns my hypothesis on its head,"

"What's your hypothesis, Mik?" I questioned then smirked at Oliver who clearly didn't understand what 'hypothesis' meant.

"That Miley is secretly a spy and relaying information back to the girls at Cheerbitch HQ," she smirked.

"Damn you caught me," she smiled but Oliver's face dropped.

"She's joking dumbass," I laughed. Oliver laughed too but I could tell he still wasn't sure. He could be so thick sometimes.

"No, I'm not an undercover spy despite how cool it sounds. I'm hanging around with the _skaters_ because a certain one of them intrigues me no end," she smiled sweetly at me and placed her hand on mine under the table. I felt my heart swell and I entwined my fingers with hers, smiling back at her.

"Awwww," Mik sighed, and then she turned to Oliver, swiftly smacking him on the arm, almost causing him to choke on the breadstick he was shoving in his mouth. "Why don't you say things like that to me?"

"Mrumph fellgan fubragher," Oliver said around the breadstick in his mouth.

"I don't know why I bother," sighed Mik brushing off the crumbs Oliver had sprayed on her during his nonsense words. I doubt he even knew what he'd tried to say.

~X~

"Thanks," I shouted back to the waiter as we left the restaurant some two hours, several slices of pizza and a bowl of ice cream later. He smiled widely and waved. Poor guy, he probably won't have anything to do now we've left.

"You know, it's still early. Wanna catch a movie?" said Mik, linking arms with Oliver while looking at Miley and I.

I glanced up at Miley for approval. I wanted to spend more time with her but if she didn't want to, that was fine too. "I'd love to," she smiled before shyly taking my arm much like Mik and Oliver. I grinned at Oliver, still nursing his mouth after his hot 'n' spicy pizza was hotter 'n' spicier than he expected.

"D'ya know if there's anything good on for the 9:30 showing?" I asked as we walked towards our respective cars.

"Dunno. Guess we'll find out when we get there," said Mik as she climbed into the driver's seat.

I hopped into Miley's car and after a few moments, Mik pulled out and we followed her along the road, heading back towards town.

"I told my brother," she blurted. It took me a moment to understand what he said. I twisted in my seat to face her.

"You did? How'd he take it? What did he say? Are you okay?" I asked, the questions coming out in quick succession.

"He's fine with it," she grinned, "I never said I had a girlfriend; just that I was gay but he put two and two together when my dad started asking questions about tonight,"

"Oh… is he going to tell your dad?" I asked kind of scared. She noticed and took her eyes off the road for a moment to look at me.

"No, he said he wouldn't. What's the matter Lilly? Do you not want my dad to know?"

"It's not that. It's… I just don't want the first time I met your dad for him to think I'm the bitch who turned his daughter…" I said, voicing my fear.

"I doubt he would think that, Lilly. You're an amazing person whether you _turned me_ or not," she smiled.

"If… well, when you tell him… are you… are you…" I stammered.

"Am I what?" she said as we came to a junction, her eyes scanning the road, her tongue sticking out slightly in concentration before making the turn. The roads were empty around here anyway.

"Are you gonna tell him how it happened?" There, I said it.

"What that I got drunk and slept with a girl on my 18th birthday?" she questioned, a smile in her voice. "Yeah sure, of course I'll tell my _father_ that,"

"Sorry… I just, I didn't y'know… I didn't want to meet him and think that he thought I was some lesbian sexual predator or something,"

"Lilly, where's all this coming from? Why are you so concerned with approval from my dad?"

"I dunno… maybe…" I started but trailed off. Should I bring it up? It's so pathetic… "Mik said that… that you were a virgin before me." I blurted.

"Yeah I was. What's your point?" she questioned. I heard in her voice she was pissed I'd brought it up.

"Sorry. I don't really have a point…" I said, slumping back in my seat. That didn't last long as I was jolted to the right as Miley swerved and pulled up at the side of the road.

"No, you do have a point Lilly. Otherwise you wouldn't have brought it up," she said facing me. There were no cars on the road and there were no streetlights… the only light came from Miley's headlights and they didn't offer all that much _in_ the car. "So tell me Lilly, why was my being a virgin such a big deal? Do you think that I'm going to turn all needy and pathetic and clingy? Are you scared that I'm going to turn into that kind of person because you took my innocence?"

"No, that's not it," I told her, slightly scared of the slight venom I heard in her voice. This topic really pissed her off.

"Then what is it Lilly? What's the big deal really? You know, people used to cherish virginity – it was frowned upon if you weren't one. But now, if a girl is a virgin people act as if she must either be frigid or some kind of prude. So tell me Lilly, what's you're point?"

I could see in the half-light, the anger in her eyes. "Because I was bladdered Miley. We were both monumentally smashed!" I admitted, only just realising what that point was, what that niggling feeling about Miley's virginity really was. "Your first time is supposed to be this special, intimate, amazing experience isn't it? And yours ended up being a drunken shag with a girl you, at the time, considered an enemy… that's my point Miles, I feel bad that I ruined that for you,"

"Oh." She said, her anger subsiding.

"And now you'll never get that back. I took the _one_ thing you're supposed to willingly give to another and I took it and crushed it. My first time wasn't special or anything, but I had that choice… albeit the wrong one, but I _took_ yours. I _stole _it,"

"No," she breathed before unclipping her seatbelt and almost launching herself at me. Her arms encircled me and her head fitted itself in the crook of my neck. "You didn't _steal_ anything Lilly. I did give it _willingly_," she said against my neck. I put my hands on her shoulders and pushed her back to look at her, confusion in my eyes.

"Huh?" I said that single utterance conveying that confusion better than any sentence could.

"You're right. We'd both been drinking and you _were_ smashed. I wasn't _as_ drunk; I remember _wanting_ you to kiss me that night. You kissed me to prove you were a good kisser…and I realised I wanted it again so I lied that I didn't feel anything… you kissed me again and I knew that I wanted to… I was the one who technically initiated it," she said, "I blamed you but really, if I hadn't kissed you again it would probably have ended there and then,"

"Miley," I breathed as I leant in. Her lips twitched slightly in a smile before leaning in too and met me halfway in a kiss. I moved my lips with hers before slipping my hand behind her neck and bringing her closer. She smiled into the kiss and her tongue danced across my lip. The action caught me off guard and she noticed.

[Miley]

"Sorry," I murmured, embarrassed that I'd tried to explore her mouth. We'd as of yet not kissed with tongue… since my birthday that is. I didn't want to push her anywhere she wasn't ready for.

"Hey," she whispered and I looked back up into those darkened blue eyes. "It's okay." I smiled and leant back down to capture her lips again. This time she surprised me by pushing her tongue desperately against my lips; I didn't hesitate at allowing her in and moaned as her tongue touched mine. I grew brave and lifted myself over so that I was straddling her in the seat. I pulled away to judge her expression… was this too much? Her grin and the excitement in her eyes told me it wasn't. I grinned back before resuming our make out session, my hands in her hair and ever pulling her closer to me as our tongues battled away. My hips bucked slightly as Lilly surprised me, placing her hands on the small of my back and slipping her hands under my shirt. My reaction amused her as I felt her shake beneath me, tasting a smile on her lips.

"You know," she breathed as we pulled away some minutes later, each needing oxygen. "They're probably… wondering… where we are,"

"They?" I questioned before I remembered about Mik and Oliver. "Oh yeah. Movies,"

"Uh-huh," she smirked. A few moments later I reluctantly removed myself from Lilly's lap and returned to the driver's seat. My heart was racing and my breath was still uneven as I turned the key and pulled back into the street.

"Where the hell have you two been?" questioned Mik, approaching the car as I parked up at the multiplex. She merely glanced at us and held up her hand, a slight smirk on her face, "Don't answer that." She knew; was it that obvious? I looked in the rear-view mirror. Yep, swollen lips and smeared lip gloss. I turned to Lilly who was running her fingers through her hair, smoothing it down in the side mirror.

"Come on you two," she smirked before taking Oliver's hand and heading inside. Lilly and I shared a smile before following them.

I'd never been to this cinema before… It was considered 'uncool' according to Traci as it only showed films which weren't in mainstream cinemas like foreign films or lower budget films. It was quaint, I thought as I looked around at the simple décor while Mik and Oliver got the tickets. At least I knew there'd be no chance of anyone seeing Lilly and I together… I slipped my hand into hers, she stared at me slightly panicked but I just smiled and squeezed her hand, telling her with my eyes that it was okay.

"Nacho cheese! Geddit? Its nacho cheese!" laughed a familiar voice telling that familiar, yet terrible, joke. I released Lilly's hand and searched for the source of the voice. There. Found him.

"What's up?" Lilly asked and I pointed towards the couple at the concessions stand.

"My dad… and his," I held back the nausea at the thought, "date."

"Oh," was all she said as she stared at my dad. Why did he have to be _here_? "Well, maybe he's going to a different film,"

"Or maybe he isn't," I said as he walked through the door marked Screen One… one of only two screens here and it just happened to be the one that was showing the film Mik had chosen. "Well let's give it a minute before we go in so he won't see us,"

So that's what we did. The four of us sat at the back of the room and watched the film which was surprisingly good even though none of the actors spoke English and you had to read subtitles. I felt Lilly shift position beside me as I concentrated on those subtitles and I suddenly felt her arm go around my shoulders.

I grinned. "Smooth," I whispered jokingly. She flashed a grin at me and pulled me in closer so that my head rested against her shoulder. I sighed contently. I loved how she was making the moves… I felt like I was the one initiating them most of the time but I loved how her hand was absentmindedly playing with the patch of exposed skin on my shoulder.

~X~

We'd managed to slip out of the cinema without my dad seeing us. Lilly was desperate not to meet my dad under such conditions whereas I simply wanted to push the thought of seeing my dad with Claire out of my mind. I didn't mind him dating, I really didn't… I just didn't want to _see_ it.

I pulled up outside her house at which point one of my songs came on the radio. I switched it to a different station, hoping she didn't notice. I still hadn't told her but I knew now was not the time… I'll definitely tell her though, I promised myself.

"So I'll see you in the morning then… to go to school," she added as I stared at her. I'd still been in my own thoughts.

"Yeah," I agreed, leaning over to kiss those lips of hers which I so loved. "Tomorrow."

"You okay? You seem like you have something on your mind?" she said taking my hand.

"Yeah. I just remembered something that's all," I smiled and kissed her again. "Now you go home and sleep; I'm not having you all grumpy in the morning,"

"Please, I could sleep forever and a day and I'd still be grumpy when I woke up," she grinned, releasing my hand and getting out the car. "Night Miles,"

"Night Lilly," I smiled after her, watching her all the way to her door where she grinned and waved before going inside. I switched the station back and listened to my voice… it was TikTok – who knew a song about waking up in a bathtub after a stumbling in half-drunk would be such a hit? I continued listening as I drove back to my house. I'd tell Lilly that I was Hannah Montana; I knew that; I just didn't know _how_. Did I sing a song to her? No, that's silly. Do I just blurt it out? No, that's silly too. Do I lead her into the secret room behind my closet which was my Hannah closet? Or maybe show her my studio at home?

**AN: Hey so what do you think? I'm not happy with it as I think the girls have jumped from timid first kisses on the Saturday Night to a makeout session in the car on the SUnday night but... yeah, it just kinda happened. Reviews? Too fast? Not fast enough? Leave your thoughts. **

**Next chapter will see the return of Johnny Collins and the cheerbitches. Anyone like to make some predictions? Stay tuned x**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hey, sorry this took so long. Blame my exams! But they're over but I'm going to Cyprus for two weeks tomorrow... so next update may be a while :/ sorry.**

**Song: Kesha - Backstabber**

**I apoligise in advance for the suckiness of this update - it's more of a filler chapter to lead to the next stage of the plot, so it's nothing special. It used to be longer too... then I changed my mind and a whole lot of stuff got deleted.**

**Enjoy x**

**Chapter Ten: **Backstabber: Part One

"Morning Ms Truscott," I smiled as she opened the door.

"Morning dear," she said returning the smile before letting me in the house. "Lilly's still in bed, you might want to wake her." She said before leaving the house for work.

I put my schoolbag down by the door and crept up the stairs to Lilly's room. I quietly pushed the door open and saw that she was indeed still in bed. Her duvet was a scruffy mess and only covered her torso as her arms and legs were sprawled out in all directions. I grinned at the sight before tiptoeing over and kneeling by her bedside. She looked so adorable while she slept, her breathing slow and regular.

I ran my index finger softly down the bridge of her nose but got no reaction. I did it again and again and again and then saw lines begin to form on her forehead and she started screwing up her nose. I continued to stroke her nose softly until she came around from her slumber, blinking several times before realising I was indeed in front of her.

"Good morning," I smiled and she rolled her eyes in typical Morning-Lilly fashion before turning on her side and attempting to go back to sleep. "You have to get up at some point, Truscott. We do have a rather important psychology presentation today,"

"Fuck psychology," she mumbled before swiftly turning back round, hooking her hand around my arm and pulling me onto the bed. She wrapped her arms around me and rested her head on my shoulder, her eyes closed.

"Well, good morning to you too," I chuckled, all my senses on hyper alert at being so close to her in her _bed_. My skin tingled; every single cell was jittering where her skin touched mine.

"Shush, sleepy Lilly," she mumbled against my shoulder. It was unbelievably adorable. I gave in to myself and wrapped my arms around my tired girlfriend. _Girlfriend_. I loved saying that. I kissed the top of her head and I felt her smile against my skin.

"As much as I'd like to stay here like this –you don't know just how much I'd like to stay here –we really should get a move on for school," I said into her blonde hair.

"Mmruph," she murmured in disagreement and I chuckled.

"Lilly," I smiled, running my hand through her hair. "Come on, sleepyhead,"

"Let's ditch," she said before snuggling closer. I gasped at the increased contact of skin as she wrapped her leg around both of mine.

"Lilly, _I_ have to go into school today – cheerleading thing. So you either come with me this morning or you walk,"

"Okay, fine! I'll get up then," she smirked before placing a small kiss on my exposed shoulder where she'd been resting. She swung her body over mine and padded groggily into her bathroom, closing the door.

I didn't move from my position in her bed; there were just too many feelings raging around my body to allow me to stand. I wanted her so bad. I knew we were taking things slow and I was okay with that; I really was… but the things she does to me. I need her so bad sometimes that I don't even understand it myself.

"Have you not moved even an inch since I've been in the shower?" came Lilly's voice and I pulled myself out of my thoughts to see her stood there with only a towel wrapped around her dripping body, her wet hair pulled around her shoulders. I shook my head, my mouth slightlyagape and she just laughed. She grabbed some clothes before heading back into the bathroom to change and I couldn't help but think of how _my girlfriend_ was _naked_ in the next room just mere meters away.

"Still not moved eh?" she chuckled as the bathroom door reopened revealing Lilly just wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a deep purple coloured bra. I don't know how I managed to keep my jaw closed at the sight. She was so beautiful; her perfectly toned body and the slight definition of her stomach muscles were driving me wild over here.

My eyes were still roaming over her as she began drying her hair. Finally, I couldn't stand it any longer and made my way over to her. She jumped, startled, when I put my hand over hers and lowered the blow-dryer which she silenced.

"Miley?" she questioned softly as I moved her hair away from her neck before lowering my mouth to her pulse point and kissing it. "Miley…" she repeated in a moan. I slid my hand across her shoulders, pulling away her bra strap to continue my kissing along her shoulders. She trembled under my touch and I smiled against her warm flesh.

"Miles…" she groaned, dropping the blow-dryer and spinning round in my embrace, her mouth suddenly on mine. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she pushed her tongue across my lips and I needed no encouragement to allow her in. Our tongues battled for a little while, each of us moaning and trying to deepen this kiss. I let my hands drop from where they'd been on her shoulder blades down to under her ass and I lifted her up onto her dressing table, feeling her moan into my mouth, the vibration initiating a moan of my own. She wrapped her legs around my waist, her hands holding my face tightly as if to make sure I wouldn't pull away; I wasn't planning on that and if oxygen weren't an issue I wouldn't even stop for air.

"Miles…Miley… no, Miley…" she mumbled between my attacks on her lips. I'd felt her body tense and she began to pull away. "Miley." She pulled back and from her position on the dressing table, she was able to remain out of my reach. "Miley," she put her hand on my shoulder, breathing hard. "Too fast..." she breathed.

"Sorry," I lied. I really wasn't sorry at all, I was only sorry we'd stopped. "Let's ditch,"

"Oh sure, now you want to ditch," she laughed, pushing a lock of my hair behind me ear. "Sorry but on days we ditch; I ain't getting up this early,"

"Fine," I grumbled, much to her amusement. "Fine, let's go to stupid school,"

"You were encouraging me to go not long ago; what's changed?" she laughed and I just grumbled before sitting back down on her bed. She'd changed that's what. She'd changed into just jeans and a bra! Did she really expect that not to affect me? Really?

-x-

When we finally pulled into school there were a few students just filtering in so we had to hurry in order not to be caught together.

"See you in Psychology," she said, checking to see if anyone was looking before placing a quick kiss on my lips and getting out of the car.

"Lilly!" I called to her and she turned back around, leaning against the car window. "I have practise after school so you can either wait or, y'know, hitch a ride from someone. I don't expect you to wait,"

"I'll wait," she smiled. "Usual spot?"

I nodded and watched my _girlfriend_ head into the building. I sighed and realised the meaning to that expression: 'I hate to watch her go but I love to watch her leave'. Those jeans really did cling to her figure rather deliciously.

"Miley!"

I jumped in my seat and turned to see Traci outside my door. Why was she here so early? She was normally late for school. I tried to act inconspicuous and got out of my car.

"Yeah Traci?"

"What were you doing?" she questioned and I tried to act confused as I swung my bag over my shoulder and hugged my textbooks.

"What?"

"You were just staring at that skater girl…" she trailed off and nodded in the direction of where Lilly had been walking.

"No, no I wasn't," I lied hoping to God she hadn't seen Lilly in my car. "I-I just spaced out. I was just thinking,"

"Okay…" she elongated the word then shrugged it off. "Whatever. So practise starts at four _sharp_. Don't be late,"

"You're telling _me_ not to be late? Aren't I still captain of this squad?" I asked her, my tone a little irritated as I started heading towards the entrance.

"Well yeah but this is majorly important – the next game is the last game before summer vacation. It's the biggest game of the year Miley; everyone needs to have their head solely _on the game_ so you can't just be sat spacing out in your car staring after some skater chick,"

"I wasn't," I protested. I briefly wonder why she emphasised 'on the game'… was she directing that right at me? Did she know more than she was letting on? No, no she couldn't – how could she? I brushed off the comment as I walked through the school doors, down the corridor and to my locker with Traci following by my side.

"Like I said, whatever," she shrugged again, her nasally voice elongating the vowels more than necessary. "We need to have the best performance and help the guys win. If we loose, everyone will be unhappy and it'll ruin the Endgame Dance,"

"Traci, I know what you're saying but we're only cheerleaders – we don't actually win the game," I told her, putting my psychology textbook in my locker and taking my English Literature book out ready for first period.

She was silent for a few moments, simply watching me. "What's happened to you?" she said more to herself than to me. "You've changed. What happened to the shy Tennessee girl who climbed to the top of the social ladder in mere months? Where did that determined _cheerleader_ go? Because lately, all I see is a girl who doesn't put the same effort in anymore? What's changed Miley?"

"I…" I paused, leaning against my now closed locker. Had I really changed that much? I knew I hadn't been the same 'determined cheerleader' but that never really was _me_… I'd just been more of myself as of late – is that a bad thing? Sure, I love cheerleading but I just don't see the point anymore… did I ever? It was just a way of creating popularity wasn't it? And for it to look good on a college application? Wasn't it?

"Whatever," she said for the third time. "Just don't be late." She added before sauntering off down the corridor as the first bell rang out telling people that school was about to start. I sighed, a little confused, and headed towards homeroom.

-x-

"…but the research within the model of relationship breakdown seems to be culturally biased, which is known as eurocentric, as it has been conducted in Western societies," said Lilly, giving the final line of our presentation to the class. We got a small applause, as did the other groups, before we were told to take our seats once more.

"Well, good presentation girls," said Mrs Stevens, obviously surprised at how good it actually had been. "Truscott and Miley were our last group and there's only a few minutes left of the lesson so I'll let you go early today. Please leave a hard-copy of your presentation before you leave so I can mark it,"

Everyone set about collecting their things, chatting excitedly about being let out early. I couldn't help but smirk at the glare Lilly was giving our teacher for last-naming her; it really irritated her.

"I gotta go," I said softly, brushing Lilly's hand with my own under the table. She slowly entwined our fingers, smiling. "You still waiting? You don't have to,"

"I'll wait," she said simply. "Plus, I'll be able to see you practise from in the gallery," she winked and I laughed softly, squeezing her hand before letting go and leaving the room.

[Lilly]

I put the hard-copy of our presentation on Mrs Steven's desk before I left, her eyes burning into me as I left her classroom. Seriously, what was her problem with me? She's actually worse than Miss Linley but at least she has a reason for not liking me – I'm distracted easily by Mik and we talk too much in her lesson. Mrs Stevens had no reason to hate me – I was quiet, kept myself to myself and was clearly the smartest kid in the class… so what the hell was her problem?

I shoved my things in my locker and slammed the door shut. I immediately jumped as it revealed someone stood there.

"What the fuck, Johnny?" I exclaimed, placing a hand on my racing heart. How the hell did he get there without me noticing?

"Hi to you too Lilly," he smirked, his arms crossed and his hair bobbing along with the shaking of his chuckling.

"What do you want?"

"Whoa, calm down Lils. I just wanted to apologise," he said holding up his hands. I could see in his eyes he wasn't being sincere but I let him continue regardless. "I shouldn't have said what I did… and I miss you; you were one of my best friends and now I've lost not only you but Mik and Oliver are ignoring me too,"

"What's your point? You can hardly expect us to be all chummy again. Not only did you call me a _lesbian_," I whispered the word for fear someone in the emptying corridor would hear. "But you told the entire school we'd slept together at that party,"

"And I said I was sorry about that. It was just a joke that went too far and then someone overheard and it spread around school,"

"Sure it was," I said turning on my heel and heading down the corridor, my sneakers squeaking slightly on the polished floor.

"It was… wait, where are you going?"

I stopped abruptly, my hand on the door which led to the art department and then the viewing gallery. "Bathroom, what's it to you?" I questioned harshly.

"… There are toilets down there?" he questioned, confusion on his face but something else in his eyes.

"Yes. Hardly anyone goes in them though so they're always quiet," I stopped myself before more spilled from my mouth. Too much information and he'll realise I'm lying.

"Oh. Right, whatever," he shrugged and I quickly headed down the corridor and into the viewing gallery staircase. I peeked through the door for a few minutes until I was satisfied he wasn't going to follow before heading up the dark staircase.

Looking down through the viewing windows I could see Miley and the rest of the cheerleaders just setting up in the gym. I smiled, knowing that they couldn't see up here unless the lights were on. I could sit and watch my…_girlfriend_ – that sounded so weird yet so right at the same time – dance and gyrate and jump around. While I watched, I couldn't help but think back to our little make out session this morning… I'd stopped her. If I hadn't we'd probably have tumbled into my bed and I wasn't ready for that, not yet. Plus, our first time was a bit of a drunken mess and I want to make up for that… when we do finally sleep together for the first time since being together, I want it to be special, I want to do it right… maybe not all the candles and things like you see in the movies but not just two hormonal teenagers jumping each other.

[Miley]

I was shattered. I'd been trying extra hard during practise not only to stop Traci's snide comments but because I knew Lilly would be watching. I sneaked odd glances up to those dark windows, wondering whether she'd be smirking down at me but the glass was dark.

"Practise again same time tomorrow Miley," said Traci as I pulled my shirt over my head, my practise outfit folded neatly on the bench in the changing rooms.

"Yes, I know Traci," I said indifferently as the other girls headed into the shower room.

"You got dressed quick," Traci noticed, nodding at my now fully dressed self. "Going somewhere?"

"Uh my dad wants me home as soon as possible today," I lied. I don't think she bought it but she didn't say anything more. After a few moments of us simply looking at each other in silence, she turned on her heel and followed the other girls into the showers.

Once she was out of sight I quickly shoved my things in my bag and jogged out of the changing rooms, down the hall, round the corner onto the main hallway then down the art department corridor.

"Miley?"

The voice startled me and I noticed Johnny Collins leaning next to the viewing gallery door. Fuck.

"Hmm?" I said, slowing my pace to try and think of something to get me out of this situation or get him to leave.

"What are you doing down here? Its afterschool,"

"I could ask you the same question," I said trying to keep my tone indifferent, as if it were perfectly normal for me to be walking down this corridor afterschool.

"I asked you first," he said, raising an eyebrow.

Think Miley, think. "Bathroom. The ones round here are cleaner than the main ones," I lied. He smirked and shook his head as he laughed at what seemed like a private joke. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," he said still smirking. "Well don't let me stop you," he said before heading down the corridor. What was that all about?

I headed up the stairs and found Lilly sitting by one of the paintings Mik had done. "Hey you," she smirked, standing as she noticed me.

"Hey," I said as we both walked towards each other, meeting halfway in an embrace. She tucked her face into the curve of my neck and I sighed into her touch. She was just so warm and so… cuddly.

"You were really good," she said against my neck, snaking her hand up from my waist to my shoulder, pulling back to look me in the eyes.

"Ya think?" I smirked, glad me extra effort had paid off.

"I _know_," she breathed, before capturing my lips in hers. My stomach got butterflies as our lips danced together, the hand which was on my shoulder snaking up to my hair. She pulled back, appearing confused. "I like your hair down," she said softly. I'd put my hair up while I practised but at her statement I swiftly removed the band and allowed my hair to fall free of its restraint. She grinned before kissing me again.

After I don't know how long, my phone rang. Answering it, I saw I had a text from my dad saying he wanted me home for dinner.

"Come on, my dad wants me home for dinner," I told her and took her hand leading her down the steps. I hesitated slightly in case Johnny was lurking around still but the corridors were empty.

"Umm… Miles?" she said quietly as we climbed into my car.

"… Lilly?" I mimicked the same quiet tone of hers as I pushed my hair back and pulled out of the lot.

"Well I've been thinking… your brother knows and you and your dad seem pretty tight…" she paused. "I think… I think I wanna tell my mom,"

"Really?" I squeaked before I could stop it and her face grew fearful. "No, I meant… Are you sure? It's a big deal,"

"Yeah, _you're_ a big deal to me," she said almost shyly and I reached across to squeeze her hand.

"Want me to be with you when you tell her?"

"No, I should do this on my own. Thanks though," she smiled. "I don't know how to break it to her though… do I just blurt it out over dinner? Try and work it into a conversation…"

"I honestly don't know…" I told her. "Jackson just kinda guessed really… he found out by accident but I was going to tell him first before my dad…"

"Mmm," she murmured, deep in thought. As we neared her house, another of my songs came on the radio and again I switched stations. "You did that last night. Do you not like Hannah Montana or something?"

"Um, it's not that I just – never mind," I stammered.

"Uh… okay then," she smirked, shrugging it off. "See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, wake up on time Lilly. I don't think I'll be able to stop myself if we have a repeat of this morning," I smirked.

She laughed softly, before closing the gap between us – after checking no one was looking- and placing her lips on mine for a brief moment before exiting the car.

"Bye, Miles,"

"I- uh, see ya," I stumbled, almost saying 'I love you' before I'd even known I'd thought it. I don't think she noticed. It had just jumped into my brain at that moment as she started walking towards her house. I didn't know where it had come from – no, I did. It was true; I loved Lilly. I really did. She made me feel like… _me_. It sounds completely cliché and utterly cheesy but it was true – ever since I moved here, I was Head Cheerbitch who was popular and had a famous movie star boyfriend; guys wanted me, girls wanted to be me and those who didn't hated my guts. I was the stereotypical American cheerleader and I didn't even notice myself getting lost in it.

But Lilly… oh Lilly… She's changed all that. I can feel what I used to feel back in Tennessee. She's my golden fields and my soft breeze through the trees. She's the exhilaration from riding Blue Jeans bareback up the old tracks and she's the calm of the creek. She's my _home_.

I put the car into drive and set off for my _physical_ home; still thinking of how I loved the blonde skater girl.

**AN: Short and sucky. Sorry. But yeah, like I said - just leading to the next section hence it being called Part One. Reviews are much appreciated :D**

**Yeah, so the next update may be a while cause I'll be on vacation. So apoligies. Regardless, stay tuned x**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hey! Long time no see! Yeah, I apoligise for the lateness of this chapter. I've been home for over a week and I'm only just getting round to do this... Three reasons for this: First, for the first 1,500 words or so ...Voice was distracting me something terrible. Second, my mom has been making me do so much housework its unbeliveable - the iron also doesn't like me and seems to find burning my fingerprints off amusing! Thirdly... I'm lazy. Sorry, it's in my blood. But without furthur ado - enjoy!**

**Chapter Eleven: Backstabber (cont)**

[Miley]

"Oh hello dear," said Ms Truscott who was surprised when she opened her door to find me stood there, my fist raised before I knocked.

I lowered my hand, "Morning, Ms Truscott," I smiled. "She up yet?"

"You know what? I think she might be," she smirked, knowing of her daughter's morning habits. I wonder if Lilly told her… does she know we're together? I don't think so considering she hasn't said anything and she's being as nice as she normally was. Surely finding out your daughter is dating the girl who calls around every morning would cause at least some difference in your attitude towards her…

"Go right on in," she smiled as she slipped out of the door and to her car.

"Bye, Ms Truscott," I waved before heading into the house and closing the door behind me. "Hey Romeo," I greeted the Australian Sheppard as he ran towards me, jumping up with his paws on my chest as he attempted to lick my face.

"Down Romeo," I heard Lilly's voice and looked up from the dog's happy brown eyes to see the blonde descending the stairs, a sly smile on her lips. The dog obeyed her command and sat down, still looking up at me and wagging his tail madly. "That's my job," she winked.

"You want your hands on my chest and to lick my face?" I said, my mind throwing that image at me and caused me to be a little breathless.

"I doubt that you'd complain," she said, coming closer. I couldn't disagree and my entire voice box closed up as she neared even closer, her hands slipping around my waist. "Would you?" she said, her nose brushing mine as she leant in. I shook my head slightly and watched through half-closed eyes as the corners of Lilly's mouth curled into a smile. Her hands slowly crept up my waist and stopped just below my breasts and a gasp of air escaped my lips. I placed my own hands on her hips as she leant in, nuzzling my neck as my eyes closed. Those hands of hers continued further up, cupping and squeezing my breasts slightly, and I gasped again from the sensations she was eliciting from me and I felt her smirk against my heated flesh. She placed a wet kiss against my pulse point before she ran her nose softly along my jaw and towards my chin, again I felt her smile before she licked along my jaw line and I groaned, squeezing her hips.

"Mmmm…" I moaned happily, my head rolling back to give her more room as she licked at the flesh of my pulse point, nibbling lightly before soothing it with her tongue. It wasn't enough to leave a mark and I melted into her touch as she continued to work her hands against my chest.

Romeo barked loudly, causing us both to jump apart at its suddenness. Seconds later, Lilly's mom walked back into the house, ignoring Lilly and I who stood mere meters away from her, Lilly's hands still in the same position as they'd been on my chest. She dropped them immediately, her face blushing. Her mom picked up a brown folder from the kitchen table before turning to leave, again not looking at us, muttering a 'bye, girls' before heading back out the door.

I glanced at Lilly at the same time she glanced at me and let go of the breath I'd been holding. For a few seconds we simply looked at each other listening to the sound of Ms Truscott's car reversing off of the drive. When the sound of the disappearing blue Toyota Yaris had finally dulled to silence, Lilly and I burst into nervous laughter perfectly in sync with each other.

"Good boy Romeo," laughed Lilly, crouching down so that the brown eyed dog bounded over to her, tail wagging and his ears back to emphasise the happiness on his face. She ran her hand through his fur, scratching behind his ears fiercely so that his back leg started banging against the hardwood floor of its own accord.

"Thought you weren't ready yet?" I said crouching down too to rub the dog's white belly as he rolled onto his back.

"What for?" she questioned, taking her attention away from her pet to look at me.

"Y'know… the whole fondling and stuff…" I said feeling heat touch my cheeks as I flashed back to a few minutes ago.

She smirked, looking back at Romeo as she answered. "Well, there's only so much a girl can take…"

"Oh really?" I grinned mischievously and I saw Lilly's eyes widen as I pushed her down to the floor, hovering above her before kissing her neck much like she had to me. She groaned and I grinned, running my hand up her thigh slowly, up to the hem of her shirt and slipping my hand under it all the way up to her own bra-clad chest. She groaned again, her hips lifting up off of the floor and her hand wrapping around my neck, pulling my mouth to hers. I pulled gently on her bottom lip before pushing my tongue into her mouth, running it against hers as our kiss heated up, my hand still copying Lilly's earlier ministrations.

"Mmm… Miles…M-Miles. Miley!" said Lilly between kisses.

I pulled back to look into those darkened blue eyes. "What?" was she going to stop us from going '_too far_' again? She was right – a girl could only take so much and she kept stopping me mid-flow.

"The dog's humping my leg," she said simply before we both looked at Romeo who indeed was getting frisky with Lilly's leg. She sat up and pushed him off of her. "Help me up Miles,"

I stood then helped my girlfriend to her feet. "Reckon we should get to school?"

-X-

[Lilly]

"Today's essay title is on the board," snapped Miss Linley as we all took our seats. Just great; she was in a bad mood. Even her good moods were terrible but today… the hair was more lank than usual, no makeup on and she clearly hadn't put any thought into what she'd chosen to wear this morning. Her latest boyfriend must have broken up with her… I say latest, but I don't think he existed…

I jotted down the title; 'Tectonic activity poses varying degrees of challenge for the communities experiencing it. Discuss.' Well, it looks like the rest of my week was gonna be busy with this seventy-mark report, my psychology work and the work they were practically throwing at us in history. Do teachers not realise that their students actually have social lives? Or have TV to watch? Music to listen to? Or need time to look for a part-time job to pay for a new board?

"Psst,"

I turned to Mik and whispered a "What?" as I tried to make it look like I was working.

"You coming to the skate park with me and Oliver afterschool? I'll share my board again," she said in a low voice, sneaking glances at Miss Linley in case she was looking.

"Can't," I said just as softly. "I meeting… _you know who_ afterschool," I told her. Miss Linley might not be able to hear us but our classmates around us could and I wasn't going to let slip the Miley secret this easy.

"Dude, you're meeting Voldemort?" She smirked and a few stifled giggles came from Anna and Tammy on the table behind us. So people _were_ listening.

"Yes. Voldemort and I have a date,"

"A date? Really?" she said, intrigued and leaning closer over the gap of our tables.

"Well… not technically. I'm meeting _him_ and _he_ said that _he_ had something to tell me this morning when I saw _him_," I said, knowing I needed to emphasis 'him' so Mik wouldn't get confused – granted she wasn't dim like Oliver but she'd been hanging around with him more than usual… and his donut brain was kinda contagious.

"Oh, right," she winked. "Details tomorrow?"

"You haven't had the details of this morning," I winked back at her and stifled a laugh at how her face changed from jokey to serious then to –

"Oh my god! Tell me now!" she said her voice louder than the previous whispers.

"Shush!" I said, looking to see if Miss Linley had noticed. She hadn't… in fact; she wasn't even at her desk - where'd she go? "I'll tell you later, I can hardly discuss it in the middle of geography."

"That's right Miss Truscott," said a new voice and I jumped, startled to find Miss Linley stood behind us. "I'm sure the people in _detention_ would love to hear about your love life with the fictional Harry Potter antagonist."

"Sorry Miss," I hung my head, my cheeks burning from the thirty pairs of eyes which now stared at me. I normally wasn't bothered about teachers being pissed at me, I guess it was my rebellious skater blood… but there was something that Miss Linley that made it obvious not to try and push your luck. She might only be about eight years older than us, if that, but she held an authority and a fear factor that took most teachers _decades_ to acquire.

"You can be sorry in detention," she said as she past by our table, snatching up Mik's work. "Well Miss Gomez, I was only going to give you an hour detention for discussing Truscott's strange love life," she said, which received giggles from the class which immediately stopped when Miss Linley gave them a look. "But considering you haven't even written a single sentence I'm going to double it. Two hours detention,"

"Two?" complained Mik stupidly. Miss Linley gave her a look which clearly read 'do you really want to play this game?' "Yeah okay," mumbled Mik and took back the 'essay' Miss Linley handed back to her.

"I'm glad you agree," smirked Miss Linley menacingly. "Now everyone; back to work. And if I hear even a peep out of either of you, you'll get an instant week's worth of detention. Understand?"

We both nodded and went back to our work. I just knew from the small smile on Mik's mouth that she was tempted to do the exact same thing as me. I glanced at her and saw her do the same thing, each of us making a small "peep," before stifling giggles. It was stupid and pushing our luck but thankfully Miss Linley never noticed… plus, it was funny!

-X-

The final bell rang and the hallways were heaving. I pushed my way across the sea of people and finally made it to my locker, with only one person having to be elbowed in the stomach for standing on my foot. My blue vans might look kinda bulky and as if they'd protect you from the pain of people standing on them… but they didn't; I think I actually heard my toes crack from the weight.

I dumped my textbooks in my locker and waited for the crowd to disperse a little before limping – yes, limping – to the art corridor door. I pulled open the door and headed down the empty corridor glancing into the art room. There was one person left still working on their piece- Mik. I knocked on the window and smirked as I saw her jump. She spun around to see me at the window, paint all over her face… and her shirt and her jeans and her shoes…

We waved at each other before I headed towards the viewing gallery with a wink from Mik. I smirked as I headed up those stairs. Miley and I had been getting … close, lately – I mean, we went from hand-holding, to making out on my living room floor and all the touching… if we kept this up, I don't think my plan of making her second-first time the best time ever will happen cause I'll end up just jumping her.

I climbed the steps and wrinkled my nose – it smelled weird in here, like cheap cologne. Reaching the top I saw a new canvas near the back wall; the cologne smell was probably the acrylic or maybe the person who brought it up here thought it smelled nice.

I sat on one of the chairs to wait for Miley and looked at the new piece. I knew it wasn't Mik's or I would have been hounded every ten minutes for an opinion while she painted. This one was quite boring really, well, in comparison with the other work up here; it was just a painted orange background with blue splashes and red accents… 'A/N' Mik would call it – 'Amateur Novice' meaning it was too simple to be considered art and her five year old cousin could do better finger paintings. Ever since those people from New York and LA had offered her internships; she'd become overly critical of other people's work and spent _even longer_ on her own – never satisfied with it.

"Hey,"

"Shit!" I jumped and turned to see Miley smirking as she headed towards me. "Fuck Miles, warn a girl would you?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she laughed before sitting on my lap. My heart was slowing down from the fright but now it picked up again, twice as fast as before.

"You said this morning you had something to tell me…" I said, trying to engage in conversation to distract myself from Miley's darkened blue eyes.

"Yeah, but not here,"

"What's wrong with here?" I queried.

"Its more something I have to show you," she explained. "We'll go to my house when school's empty."

"What exactly are you showing me?" I smirked, raising my eyebrows.

"Not that," she smirked back before coming closer and kissing my nose innocently. I laughed softly at that, squeezing her waist where my hands were resting before she leant in again, this time kissing my lips which eagerly awaited her. It didn't take long before I had one hand securely on her thigh whilst the other was snaked around her neck, preventing her from pulling away – but from how her own hand was massaging my breast and the other tightly scrunched in my hair, I doubted she was going to pull away before I did.

"Wow…" I said as we both tried to get our breath back, our foreheads pressed together.

"I know…"

-X-

[Miley]

We laughed and joked in the ride to my house, the top of my Audi was down and the wind pulled at our hair as I stepped down on the accelerator a little more. But when we turned right down my street, the one lined with palm trees and the huge mansions which seemed to increase in magnificence… Lilly grew quiet.

"What's wrong?" I asked, placing my hand on her thigh.

"I feel out of place here," she admitted.

"You're with me – that's where your place is," I told her honestly and she smiled, taking my hand and squeezing it slightly.

"Is your dad going to be home?" she asked after a few silent moments.

"I dunno," I told her. "My dad doesn't know about us yet so his first impression of you is not going to be that you're 'the bitch who turned his daughter'," I laughed, quoting her from the other night.

I pulled up to the intercom, telling Maurice to let us in, and the big iron gates groaned mechanically as they swung open to allow my Audi through.

"No matter how many times I see that," said Lilly, watching the gates and then focusing on the house ahead, "It never ceases to amaze me."

I smirked, driving up the long drive to the house then parking up in the garage next to Jackson's truck. I apologised for the lack of space I'd left for her to get out, as I watched her squeeze her way between my own and Jackson's car.

"Hey Maurice," I shouted to him as I saw him in the kitchen. He waved slightly, nodding at Lilly by my side who gave a shy wave back – knowing that he wasn't her biggest fan considering she practically broke in the last time she was here, lying to Maurice to gain entry. "Come on," I said to Lilly, grabbing her hand and pulling her through the lounge and up the first flight of steps.

"Miley. What's the rush?" she said between her heavy breathing, her free hand on her chest.

"Guess I ran up the steps a little fast?" I shrugged and she nodded and gave me a look which said '_ya think?'_. "Sorry,"

We continued up the next two flights of steps at a reasonable pace and to the furthest door in the East wing of the house. I opened my bedroom door and allowed Lilly to walk in first. I indicated for her to sit and she did, sitting on the leather couch, moving the furry red cushion from behind her onto her lap, clasping her hands together to rest upon it.

"So…"I started, immediately pacing. I was going to tell her, I'd brought her here specifically to tell her and to show her proof if she didn't believe me. I was going to tell her I was Hannah… I just had no idea how to start.

"Miley?" her voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I looked away from my feet to look at her. "Your pacing is making me nauseous," she smirked. I laughed a forced laugh, and sank into the opposite side of the couch, turning to face her and tucking one leg under myself.

"Okay, here goes." I took a deep breath. "Remember when you, Mik and Oliver went to the club where Hannah was playing? The night you punched Johnny?" I knew she remembered but she nodded regardless, her eyes hardening slightly at the mention of Johnny's name. "Remember how I appeared at the interval –" she nodded again, "– and how I disappeared just before Hannah came back on stage?"

"Yeah," she said, looking at me with a confused look.

"…and how I change stations when Hannah's songs come on the radio... well, there's a legitimate reason for that." I took a deep breath, "You shared your special place with me at Silver Point, having not shared it with anyone before, not trusting them with it… now I have something to share with you…"

"Miley, wha– " she began but my own words cut her sentence short and her mouth hung agape as she realised what I'd said.

"I'm Hannah Montana."

For several minutes we sat in an eerie silence, with Lilly just staring at me. Every so often her eyes would drop to from my face to look at everything else before meeting my eyes again, as if she were analysing everything… probably trying to match me up against an image of Hannah in her head. Hannah and I weren't that different, I only wore a blonde wig after all – I'm surprised more people haven't put two and two together.

"Lilly, say something please," I said, unable to take the silence any longer.

"You're…" her voice trailed off. "That's why…"

"Why what?"

"At Mik's Uncle's club… I was watching Hannah and I kept thinking there was something familiar about her… and she – you – kept looking at me…"

"Yeah, I just couldn't believe you were there," I told her, remembering how I'd spotted Lilly's face in the crowd and instantly tried harder to sing better just for her.

"So… you're Hannah Montana," she said almost clarifying it to herself before a grin spread onto her face. "I'm dating a popstar,"

"Yes," I laughed. "You believe me that easy? I was expecting to have to show you my Hannah closet and my studio and everything…."

"You have a separate closet for Hannah? And a studio?"

"Yeah" I laughed, taking her hand again as I stood, "Come see." I pulled her to her feet and led her into my closet, smiling at her confused expression in her reflection in the mirror a few feet in front of us.

"Miley, this is just your normal closet it… isn't it?" she said, taking in the size of it but also the 'normal' clothes.

"Yep," I said, releasing her hand and heading towards the mirror. To the left of this mirror was a small chest of drawers which seemed to be fitted into the wall. "But watch," I smirked, opening the first drawer till it clicked, then the next which jutted out a little more than the first, then opened the third till it too clicked and jutted out further then second. A small mechanical whirring sounded before the four foot wide floor length mirror began to rise from the ground and disappear into the ceiling. I grinned upon hearing Lilly's sharp intake of breath. I held out an outstretched hand which she slowly approached, her eyes on the disappearing mirror and the room beyond.

"Wow," she breathed as we stepped over the threshold and into the Hannah closet. My actual bedroom lacked much colour except for that of the cushions on my couch... but in here, it was like a colour explosion. The far wall was a hot pink colour with a black Victorian style pattern. The wall behind us was its exact opposite of a baby blue with the white pattern. The other two walls were green and orange. The floor was clear, with changing coloured lights beneath it but I had huge faux sheepskin rugs scattered about. There were rails of clothes everywhere you looked, the entire green wall being covered with shelf after shelf of shoes. The orange wall was hair and makeup and the mirror-door served as the mirror in here too when it was dropped back into position. The hot pink wall was emptier than the others, a big LCD TV fitted into it and a bunch of bean bag chairs were placed in front of it, and a large stereo beneath it.

"Wow…" Lilly said again, turning in a full circle to take in the entirety of the room.

"You like?" I smirked, knowing the answer from the awe on her face. She nodded enthusiastically.

-X-

We spent about an hour or so in my closet, the first ten minuets or so were just to let Lilly get over the shock. Then she just drooled over all my clothes, picking out an item and showing it to me with a: '_Oh my god! This is Armarni!_' then I'd tell her I knew that, then she'd carry on looking before picking out something else and telling me what label that was or how it was limited edition or whatever.

When I heard her stomach rumble I made her put down my Alexander McQueen lace up platforms which she was hugging and practically dragged her out of the room. I set the process in motion and the mirror descended again, shielding my alter-ego's closet from the world.

"You need to eat," I said, taking her hand. She protested slightly, asking my shoe size. "I'm a five but you're not borrowing those McQueens- they were a gift from the man himself,"

"Dammit," she muttered.

Maurice was in the kitchen when we got there, checking on the many pots and pans which were steaming away on the stove. He was so busy that he didn't even notice Lilly and I enter the room, he just dashed from one pot to the refrigerator or to one of the cupboards, adding more ingredients.

"Uh, Maurice?" I said, hoping not to startle the man at work but it happened regardless. He jumped and dropped the spoon he was holding into the giant pan. He span and saw the two of us standing there.

"Two seconds," he muttered, searching the drawers till he found a set of metal tongs and fished the spoon out of the pan and dropped it into the almost over flowing sink.

"What's with all the food?" I asked him, taking a seat at the breakfast bar which was covered with recipe books. I nodded for Lilly to take the seat next to me, and then looked over the titles in the open books. There were Italian, French, Chinese, British, and even Lebanese dishes.

"Your dad's invited Claire and her son here for dinner and a bunch of her friends. So I have to cook _a variety_ of different foods for over thirty people with no idea what they like… so I'm making a bit of everything,"

"Claire's coming? And Johnny?" I repeated.

"Yeah, and don't think you're getting out of it Missy. Your dad told me to make sure you don't sneak off and that you're to wear that nice dress he bought you last Christmas,"

"The one with the frills?" I exclaimed, remembering the hideous frock I'd unwrapped that Christmas morning and had to fake that I'd liked it. I never thought I'd be forced into wearing it.

"That's the one," said Maurice, wiping his brown as he checked the recipe and added more ingredients to one of the pots. "Why he couldn't simply ask Claire what her friends like to eat instead of me having to do all this work… I'm running out of ovens to use!"

"Why not just make a set meal and if they don't like it then it's just tough," offered Lilly who had until now being shyly quiet by my side. Maurice turned his attention away from the food to look at her. "I mean, you're making like twelve different meals for thirty people who'll probably only eat a small amount of maybe two different dishes at the most and the rest will go to waste. It would be more efficient and cost-effective to make a say, three different dishes which each compliment each other – that way, there's less cooking, less waste and they can pick and choose at what they want,"

"Y'know… that makes sense," said Maurice.

"I used to work in a big fancy restaurant, and you got in serious trouble if food was wasted or it wasn't cost efficient," explained Lilly.

"Why couldn't you have said that a few hours ago before I made so much," he sighed.

"What have you got?" she said, hopping off the stool and she looked over all of the pots. "Well, this can go with this and if you half this sauce and add it to that that could be a dish on its own…" she busied herself helping Maurice with the food, the two of them seemingly in their element as they cooked.

I zoned out a little as I watched them, their movements almost hypnotic and the smell of spices and food filling the air in the steamy kitchen.

"Here Miles, taste this," said Lilly, not waiting for me to open my mouth and instead opening it for me before putting the forkful of food in my mouth.

"Oh my god," I sighed at the mouth-watering taste, "that's amazing." Lilly grinned. "You _used _to work at a restaurant? Why aren't you there now? You sure can cook!"

"Thanks," she laughed, "My boss was a little on the friendly side…"

"Oh…ew,"

"Exactly,"

"I'm just going down to the vegetable patch," said Maurice.

"We have a vegetable patch?" I asked, genuinely shocked.

"Yes, its near the big greenhouse…" said Maurice but I was still confused. "You've lived here seven years and you didn't know that? I bet you haven't been much further than the pool, have you?"

"Yeah… okay, not much further past it but Jackson and I were chasing each other on the sit-on lawnmowers one day and we did go past it," I laughed and Lilly lightly shoved my shoulder.

"You're such a rich kid," she smirked.

-X-

A mere hour before Johnny, Claire and her guests arrived, I drove Lilly home.

"I'd have offered for you to stay at mine for dinner… but I hardly want a food fight breaking out when you see Johnny," I half-joked.

"Yeah, that was probably best," she smirked as if she was imagining such a scene. "Promise you'll get sauce down his shirt or something for me… or you know, throw a potato at his face or something,"

"I'll try," I laughed, leaning across for a quick kiss. "See you in the morning then,"

"Yeah… unfortunately it's only Tuesday today which means three more days of crappy school,"

I laughed, and then stopped hearing Hannah come on the radio. What was it with this station? "This isn't going to be weird is it?" I asked her, nodding towards my voice on the radio.

"Have I acted weird since you told me… 'cept the whole trying to steal your shoes thing,"

"No," I responded and she reached over to take my hand in both of hers.

"It's not weird, nor will it ever be," she kissed my fingers softly. "I'm dating a popstar – I'm not gonna ruin that by acting weird," she laughed.

-X-

"Now lets all raise our glasses," said my father at the head of the long table as he stood. He held his glass of wine up, and the rest of the guests at the table followed suit. I sighed silently before lifting my glass of lemonade as I was not allowed to drink alcohol underage in front of company… but it was okay to have an unsupervised 18th birthday part where practically everyone from school came here and got hammered.

"And let's toast to love," my father said, gazing into Claire's eyes. Johnny and I both made synchronised gagging noises but the guests hardly heard them over the 'awwwww' they made. Then an idea dawned on me… he was going to propose! No! Don't! I begged him with my eyes not to do it, but he wasn't looking.

"Claire, stand up here," he said and Claire stood, holding his hand as they both gazed into each others eyes still. Please daddy, it's too soon to _marry_ her! Plus, I've said all of twelve words to her since you guys started dating. And Johnny! Don't even get me started on Johnny! "We've been together for almost seven months now, and we were friends before that. So I want to ask you something,"

I saw that Johnny mimicked my actions, glaring at his mother to say no!

"Yes Robbie?" Claire said sweetly. The silence was killing me and I clung to the table, my fingernails practically embedded in the wood with the suspense.

"Will you move in with me?" my dad asked and I sighed a breath of relief. It wasn't the best thing in the world to have a relative stranger move in, but it was definitely better than her becoming my new mom.

"Of course I will," she answered and everyone except Johnny and myself applauded them as they kissed to seal the deal. Johnny caught my eye as we both gagged again.

After dinner and the adults were having drinks, I was recruited to help Maurice in the kitchen.

"Nice dress," scoffed Johnny as he walked in the room, nodding to the blue frilly monstrosity I was wearing.

"Nice bow tie," I said in the same mocking tone. He looked down at the shabby suit his mom probably forced him to wear and I noticed his cologne which smelled oddly familiar…

"Touché," he smirked, taking a glass of the wine left out on the side and downing it before Maurice could see. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve, leaving a small red stain on the white cuff. "How's Lilly?" he smirked. There was something in his eyes… like it was a hidden joke or something.

"Why would you care?" I asked after a moment's hesitation.

"No reason," he shrugged before backing out of the room, flashing his white smile which looked strangely like an evil smirk before he disappeared from view.

[Lilly]

I scraped the last of the spaghetti into the trash, dropping the empty plate into the sink and tried not to think of all the delicious food Miley would be eating that Maurice and I had cooked earlier. I stared out of the window in front of the sink as I washed the dishes, admiring how the moonlight cast its silvery glow into my garden – it wasn't the same as at Silver Point but it was enough to make the grass take on a new light. It shone in Romeo's eyes as he chased something I couldn't see – probably next doors cat again.

I picked up the large dinner dish we'd served the spaghetti in, moving to the right slightly to put it onto the draining board when my mom's voice startled me.

"What the hell is this?" she yelled louder than I'd heard her yell before. Whatever it was, it sounded like I was in some serious shit… although, I can't recall doing anything wrong. I turned to face her, still holding the dish and I saw what she held in her own hand.

The dish fell to the floor and shattered, mimicking the sensation I felt in my stomach.

**AN: Again, I'm not happy with this. I never seem to be able to write what I can see in my head in a way which I consider any good. There isn't all that much in this chapter and a few bits might seem irrelavent but I'll tie it together :) Reviews are most welcome, in fact, they're encouraged so get those fingers typing before you leave this story!**

**Stay tuned x**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Sorry this took a while and that its only short. I haven't had all that much time to write and instead of making you all wait, I just decided to post what I had. So this is like half of what I initally planned but enjoyx**

**Song: When It All Falls Apart - The Veronicas**

**Chapter Twelve: **When It All Falls Apart

[Miley]

'_Don't need a ride today. ' _said Lilly's text. It didn't end the usual way with a kiss and a smile but maybe she was just in a rush or something. I wonder why she doesn't need a lift; even if she'd somehow gotten a hold of a new skateboard, I doubt she'd return to going to school on that instead of riding with me... would she? No, of course she wouldn't.

'_Okay, I'll see you later xxx'_ I responded, sitting down on the corner of my bed. I had extra time now before I had to go to school. I sighed and stood up, taking my bag and books downstairs with me and dumping them on the stool next to me as I took a seat at the breakfast bar.

"Morning Maurice," I greeted.

"Good morning, Miley," he smiled, "Aren't you supposed to pick your blonde friend up?"

"She said she didn't need a lift this morning," I told him.

"Oh. Well, you could always clear away some of these things from last night," he smirked, nodding to the pile of dishes.

"I think not," I laughed. "I thought we'd done them all last night before I went to bed,"

"So did I," he sighed. "It would seem Claire's friends like to play 'hide the dish'... Oh, before forget, please thank your friend Lilly for all her help yesterday,"

"Yeah, I'll tell her when I see her," I said, grabbing an apple out the fruit bowl. "Oh crap! Claire!"

"What? What is it?" asked Maurice, obviously not understanding my outburst.

"Claire... is she really moving in with us _and_ Johnny?"

"As far as I know they're arranging to move their stuff in at the weekend... why, do you not like Claire and her son?"

"I don't have a problem with Claire cause I barely know her... but, let's just say Johnny and I aren't the best of friends,"

"Oh. Does your father know?"

"I'm not going to go whine to my father about a boy that doesn't like me – I'm eighteen, I'll deal with him by ignoring his entire existence. He can have a room as far away from mine as humanly possible... no, let's make him live in the shed by the tennis court! Can we?"

"I'll have a word," Maurice joked.

-x-

I climbed out my car, shrugging my bag onto my back and cradling my textbook in my arms. Locking my car I headed towards the entrance, smiling politely at the people who glanced in my direction. I soon stopped smiling when I realised the sheer amount of people who were looking at me; people were stopping conversations to turn and stare, one guy almost crashed his Honda because he was paying attention to me and not the road. What's going on?

I saw Mik pushing her way over to me and I smiled and offered a small wave, but she didn't return it. She wasn't smiling, nor was she simply staring like all these other people; she looked pissed, no, more than pissed – she was livid.

"Mik –" I started but my sentence was cut off as her fist connected with my face. My head reeled back from the blow and I swear I heard my neck crack but I couldn't be sure above the sound of the blood rushing in my ears and of the kids in the lot chorusing their combined surprise and excitement... I'd imagined getting hit before, as Head Cheerleader you're hated by a lot of people, I just never expected a simple punch could be so painful. My whole face felt as if it had been run over by a steam roller and my entire jaw was on _fire_! It burned with the pain, and it felt as if Mik's fist was still imprinted on the surely bruising flesh.

"What have you done?" she yelled at me as I cradled my face.

"Huh? Mik what the hell? Seriously, I think you broke something!"

"I told you if you hurt her that I'd hurt you; in fact I told you I would break your face," she practically hissed, taking a step forward as if she were going for another strike.

"Mik," I warned, taking a step back. "I haven't done anything! I swear!"

"Then why did she run off crying the second I mentioned your name this morning!"

"She did?" I repeated, at a much softer volume than what Mik was. If people weren't staring before, they certainly were now. "Why?"

"You tell me. What have you done to upset her?"

"I haven't done anything, at least not that I know of." I tried to pull her away to somewhere where not as many eyes were upon us, but she shrugged me off, her face still angry... I decided not to push my luck or I might end up with more damage to my face. "I saw her last night and she was perfectly fine,"

"What about this morning?" she snapped, "I know you drive her,"

"No, she text me saying she didn't need a ride... I swear I don't know why she's upset." I told her, gingerly rubbing my jaw.

"Really?" she scrutinised.

"Honestly."

She contemplated this for a few moments, her arms crossed and she analysed me, as if to see if I were in fact telling the truth. I saw it on her face, how it softened into regret when she finally accepted that I was telling the truth.

"Fuck Miley, I'm so sorry," she said, reaching out but stopping short of touching my face. "It's what I do. Act first, think later,"

"Hey it's okay," I said, wincing slightly as I pulled my jaw a little too far. "You thought you were doing the right thing."

"Yeah but still, that looks like it twinges a bit," she joked and I gave her a look. "Come on, let's get you to the nurse,"

"Nahh I'll be fi-ow!" I winced as I touched it a little to hard. "Okay, maybe that's not the worst idea,"

The Nurse's office was the first door through the entrance and she soon told me that my jaw wasn't broken. I left out the part where the girl by my side with the star shaven in into her hair was the one who had caused the damage, telling her that I'd just tripped in the parking lot. She gave me some painkillers and sent me off to class.

"Miley, I'm so sorry,"

"Mik, stop apologising already. I'm not important right now, Lilly is," I said as I headed down the corridor.

"Miley..."

"Yeah?" I asked, turning to face her. She wasn't looking at me though; she was stood in the middle of the corridor and staring at the wall. I followed her gaze and I realised why I was getting so much attention today. "Oh my god,"

"Reckon that's what's upset Lilly?" Mik said rhetorically. I couldn't speak. My stomach was tied in knots and I didn't know whether I was going to throw up or burst out crying.

"How did... when did... who..." I stammered, unable to finish a sentence. I pulled the paper from the wall; it tore slightly as I did so.

"I dunno, but whoever did do it is going to severely regret it," said Mik, her hands clenching into fists. I felt angry tears prick at my eyes as I held the paper in my shaking grasp. One tear rolled off my cheek and landed right in the middle of the image...

[Lilly]

"_What the hell is this?" she yelled louder than I'd heard her yell before. Whatever it was, it sounded like I was in some serious shit… although, I can't recall doing anything wrong. I turned to face her, still holding the dish and I saw what she held in her own hand._

_The dish fell to the floor and shattered, mimicking the sensation I felt in my stomach._

"I..." was all that escaped my mouth. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. There, plain as day was a photograph printed out and in my mother's clenched hand. A photograph of Miley and I kissing. Not just your every day run of the mill kiss but a proper, open-mouthed kiss, my hand on her thigh and around her neck and hers on my chest and in my hair. That was us kissing, _today_! Someone had not only seen us but took our photo and sent it to my _mom!_

"Well? Would you care to explain this, Lillian?" My mom yelled again, causing me to snap out of my thoughts and tear my eyes off of the image to the livid expression on my mom's face.

"Mom, I..."

"You what? Since when do you go around kissing _girls_, Lillian? Since when did my daughter do that?"

"Mom..." I elongated the word, not through any intention; it's just how it came out as it slid past the fast-growing lump in my throat.

"When did this happen Lillian? Not all that long ago you were moping about the house after that Lucas boy," she said raising the picture and shaking it at me. "It's this girl isn't it? She did this to you. She's brainwashed you! And to think, I let her into my house,"

She was pacing now, her whole body trembling with her anger. The tears finally overflowed, cascading down my cheeks. "It's not Miley's fault mom, this is who I am. I know that now, it's not something I can help,"

"I mean I knew you were a tomboy but I thought you'd just grow out of it," she paced, completely ignoring me. "What did I do wrong? I raised you and gave you what you wanted when you asked for it whenever I could... is it your dad? Are you doing this to get at me for leaving him? Is that it?"

"No, Mom. I can't help feeling like this; don't you understand that? If I could help it I would, but I can't. I swear I wanted to tell you, I was going to... it wasn't supposed to happen like this," I told her, my voice strained as I sobbed.

"Like what? Having someone fax me photographs of you and, and this, this _girl_," she spat, refusing to say Miley's name as if were some kind of disease. She looked at the photo again before crumpling it and tossing it to the ground. "You disgust me!"

"Mom..." I cried, more tears erupting from my eyes. "I'm sorry! I can't help it; I don't have a choice in this,"

"Oh yes you do. You are never seeing this girl again. If I even suspect that you're even looking at her then I'll ship you off to go live with your dad. You are going to _straighten up_. It's not natural Lillian! This girl, she's made you think differently – spending time away from her will see to that, you'll soon be normal again. I'll make sure you get better,"

"Get _better_? I'm not sick mom!" I protested.

"Yes you are; you just can't see it yet because of what that girl has done to you."

"Mom, I..." I started, but she held up her hand.

"I don't want to hear anymore. Go up to your room," she sighed, sitting down on the couch, her head in her hands. "We'll fix you."

Knowing she wouldn't listen to anything tried to say, I let the dog in from outside and led him up the stairs. I closed my door behind me and sank to the floor, my back sliding down the cool wood. Romeo could instantly tell something was wrong, his ears back and his eyes soft... I reached out to him and he immediately came into my embrace, his warm neck resting on my arm as I hugged him, my tears soaking his fu . He whined softly and nuzzled me with his nose. "You don't hate me do you boy?" I said softly to him, holding either side of his face in my hands. He just looked up at me with those big brown eyes of his as if he were telling me that he didn't hate me and that it was all going to be okay. I just wish it was; I wish it all would be okay, just disappear. I sighed, leaning back in to hug the Australian Sheppard, my mom's words echoing in my head 'we'll fix you'.

A new bought of tears shook my entire body as I held on to Romeo and whispered, "But I'm not broken..."

[Miley]

I can't believe it. I simply can't believe it. But I have to, because after all, I'm holding the evidence of its reality right here in my hand. A photo. A damn printed out photo of Lilly and I kissing – no, making out. Some bastard had spied on us and took a damn photograph! I tore it up, shoving the shredded remains into a nearby trashcan.

"Dyke!"

I span but the corridor was filling up as first period finished. There were too many faces all looking at me, throwing glances or just plain out staring. I didn't know who'd said it but soon there was a murmur throughout the crowd.

"Who knew _she_ of all people was a lesbian?"

"It's about time Miss Popularity was brought down a few pegs,"

"Miley..." said Mik, placing a hand on my shoulder, "Don't listen to these _fuckers,_" she aimed at the crowd. "Come on, let's go." I just nodded and let her guide me away from the main corridor and into the girls bathroom. Thankfully it was empty and I just let the built up tears fall, cascading down my face as I fell to the ground, the shaky heaving of my chest making my body weak.

"Wh-who w-would do this?" I choked out. Mik sank down beside me, our backs against the stall door.

"I don't know Miles, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out," she said surely and put her arm around my shuddering shoulders and I leant into her embrace, tears falling onto her shirt. I don't know how long I sat there crying onto her shoulder... soon my tears dried up but my body still shook with dry sobs making my chest ache and my throat sore.

"Ugh get a room."

"You wanna say that to my face bitch?" yelled Mik, standing up to face the girl who'd just walked in. The girl quickly scarpered from Mik leaving us alone in the bathroom yet again.

"Mik what are we gonna do?" I asked, pushing myself off of the floor and took a glance in the mirror. I'm so glad I wore waterproof mascara today. "This whole thing has just blown up and Lilly's obviously ignoring me... short of a time machine, how can this be fixed?"

"I honestly don't know Miley..."

[Lilly]

"Lillian Truscott to the Principal's office, please," called the tannoy and I sighed, does no-one realise that I hate being called that? I went down to the principal's office wondering what I could possibly be in trouble for. I knocked on the door once I was there and someone I didn't expect opened it.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to discuss your classes with Principal Luger here," she said, smiling.

"My classes?"

"Sit down Lillian," Principle Lugar said, indicating to the chair before him.

"O...kay..." I said taking the seat.

He leant forward in his seat, clasping his hand together under his chin. "So, your mother tells me you wish to drop your psychology class,"

"What?" I practically yelled, causing him to jump. I span to face my mom who still stood by the door, "You said that? Why? Why would you do that?"

"I have to keep you away from that evil girl; I cannot have her influencing you any more than necessary,"

"What?" I span back to Principle Luger, "She told you all this? Saying I want to drop psychology because of Miley?"

"Is that not the reason?"

"No! I don't even want to drop psychology – it's my best subject!" I turned back to my mom who was stood with her arms crossed, and a stern look on her fade. "How could you do this to me? You know that I'm good at it and how much I need it for college applications!"

"Lillian," she said with hardly any emotion in her voice at all. "I'll offer you a choice. I don't want you anywhere near that girl so you can either drop psychology or I'll have her kicked out of the class,"

"What? How can you be so heartless? You're messing with people's lives!"

"I am trying to protect my daughter; how can you call me heartless? Just choose; you leave or she does,"

-X-

[Miley]

I went to class after first break deciding that hiding in the bathroom was hardly going to help. I was the height of hushed conversation in every single class, even the teachers were staring at me. At least I didn't get asked any questions, my mind was hardly on my work today. I don't know why I didn't just go home...no, I do know – I needed to speak to Lilly. I had to make sure she was okay... well, I knew she wasn't okay from what Mik said and I know _I_ was hardly okay with all this and it seemed she was taking it twice as hard for some reason to even reject a ride to school from me. How did she even know about it this morning? I didn't know till I came out of the nurse's office yet the whole school _and_ Lilly already knew. How?

The final bell went and everyone started gathering their stuff together. I took my time, not wanting to feel the burning of thirty pairs of eyes scolding my back. I shrugged my bag on my back and headed out after everyone else and I spotted Lilly trying to ignore the stares she was getting too.

"Lilly!" I called and ultimately drew more attention, people actually stopping in the corridor to see what was about to happen and nudging those who hadn't yet noticed. Lilly however didn't stop and just hurried along. I jogged after her. "Lilly. Wait, talk to me," I said grabbing her shoulder and turning her to face me. Her eyes were puffy and red... and recently so too. Her face looked worn and tired, as if she hadn't even slept from crying.

"I can't talk," she said simply with barely a glance at me before walking away.

"Buuuurrrrnn," someone mocked.

I span to face the direction of the voice, "For fucks sake, _fuck off_! And try to use it in the right context next time – that was so not a '_burn'_ moment." The crowd was silent and I jogged after Lilly again.

"Please Lilly; we have to talk about this,"

"I can't talk," she repeated, her eyes on her feet as she headed down the corridor.

"Lilly, don't ignore me. We're both in this, this shit is happening to the both of us so stop trying to keep me out."

"I have detention," she murmured as she put her hand on the door of the detention room. It wasn't what I wanted her to say but it was better than 'I can't talk'.

"Oh... okay, I'll wait – we can talk afterwards," I told her.

"No."

"No?" I queried.

"I told you; I can't talk," she said, her back to me as she still held onto the detention room door handle. "Not ever."

"Say what?" I exclaimed but she just opened the door and headed inside. I wasn't gonna let her say that and disappear so I quickly grabbed her backpack and used it to pull her back. "What do you mean 'not ever'?"

"I can't talk to you anymore,"

"Huh? Why? You're talking to me right now, just keep talking,"

"No, I can't. You just don't get it Miley; I can't talk to you anymore," she said, once again turning to go to detention but I pulled her back again.

"You're damn right I don't understand. What are you talking about Lilly?"

She shrugged my hand off of her, "It's over Miley. _We're_ over."

When she went to go into detention this time, I didn't try and stop her. I couldn't even if I wanted to... I couldn't move. I was completely shattered, my heart had broken into millions of pieces and rendered me incapable of moving. There was an unpleasant sinking feeling in my stomach which made it hard to decide whether I was about to vomit or pass out.

"Buuuurrrnn."

I clutched my stomach trying unsuccessfully to ease the pain. "Better," I told the 'burn' guy before slowly heading to my car and driving home, fresh tears blurring my vision. How I made it home without totalling my car I'll never know.

**AN: Not happy with this as per usual. Your reviews are much appreciated :)**

**Stay tuned x**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Sorry this took forever. It was going to be another like 3000 words longer but I thought I'd post what I had so far :) Enjoy.**

**Dedicated to GlisteningShadow who updated The Howling for my 18th birthday last Friday :) You need to read her fic and review till she updates! Love you Shrimpeater! :D**

**Song by Breathe Carolina :P**

**Chapter Thirteen: **I.D.G.A.F

[Miley]

My hands were shaking as I turned the car into the garage, the car shuddering to a stop and hitting the wall in front due to my lack of concentration. How I even got home alive I don't know. I'd been crying all the way home, tears blurring my vision but now, now that my car was finally at a stop... it all let loose at once like it had only been a trickle through a crack in a dam wall, and now that crack had ruptured and the reservoir behind it was pouring out in a huge, angry cascade. That's what was happening. My body shook uncontrollably. Tears flooded from my eyes as I scrunched them up, trying and failing to stem the flow. I just couldn't help it. There was a hollow, empty feeling in my chest and my stomach felt eerily like it was experiencing some form of G force. I let the heaving sobs take control, my shoulders rising and falling heavily as I leant my forehead against the wheel.

"I heard a crash, what's go–" I heard my dad's voice over my sobbing. I lifted my head slightly and saw his surprise as he stood in the doorway. I couldn't have tried to control myself even if I wanted to. I just let the tears ransack my body; everything just ached, physically now as well as emotionally.

I felt rather than saw my dad climb into the passenger seat. "What's wrong bud?" he asked softly, pulling me close to him and I rested my head against his chest, watching through blurry eyes as my tears soaked his shirt. His hand rubbed up and down my shaking spine. "Oh honey, please, tell me what's wrong,"

"I'm..." I choked out. May as well start at the very beginning. "I'm gay."

"What? That's why you're crying like this? Did you think I'd hate you or something?" he rambled out after a moments silence. "You know I could never hate you, darlin'. Okay, maybe I never even contemplated your ..._preferences_ before, but it doesn't mean I love you any less,"

"Dad, thanks," I said, hugging him as I tried to control my tears. "But that's not why I'm crying."

"It's not?"

"No." I sat up and wiped my face with the back of my hand. "You know Lilly? My new friend? Um... she's my girlfriend... was my girlfriend..."

"Was?"

"Yeah. She said she doesn't want to talk to me again and won't tell me why. She just completely cut me off dad... and not only that, but someone's posted pictures of Lilly and I kissing and the whole school's seen and..." I started crying again, dry sobs shaking my body.

My dad wrapped his arms around me once more. "Oh honey," he sighed. "Do you want me to talk to the Principle?"

"No. There's nothing he could do anyway. The damage has been done. Some evil person has posted those pictures..." It came to me then. It was so obvious. He'd been hanging around the viewing gallery, making comments about Lilly at dinner... "Johnny..."

"Johnny?" questioned my dad. "What about him?"

"He did it." I said simply before turning to face my dad's confused expression, my upset turning into anger. "Johnny posted those pictures. I'm sure of it."

"Miley, Johnny's a sweet boy..."

"No dad. He isn't. He knew about Lilly and I, and he didn't like it. He liked Lilly, practically loved her then I showed up. And he already hated me simply for being head cheerleader – its social hierarchy. But he and Lilly, and Lilly's best friends, all fell out so I suppose this is his revenge or something," I rambled off quickly.

"It's high school Miles, not some teen movie; that doesn't happen in real life,"

"Dad. I'm telling you that it is. Johnny's posted those photos. He's the one who's caused Lilly to break up with me. Johnny is the cause of my crying in my car,"

My dad was silent for a few minutes. "Claire and Johnny are moving in on Saturday."

"I can't share a house with him dad. I really can't." I said. "I'm sorry. I know you love Claire, but unless you made Johnny live in the garden shed or something..."

"I'm not going to make him live in the garden shed." He sighed. "I'll tell Claire that the moving in is off the table."

"Dad, I can't make you do that,"

"I know. I'm doing it regardless. I'm your father, I'm supposed to look after you – making you live with the boy who did such things is hardly fatherly, is it bud?"

"But Claire –"

"Will understand."

"Dad..." I said elongating the word with my regret. I'd just basically ruined my dad's first real relationship after my mom... and he was being so nice about it which just made me feel worse.

"Don't protest." He warned, kissing the top of my head. "If I weren't dating his mother, I'd kick that boy's ass into next week."

"I wish _I_ could."

My dad just held me then, stroking my back comfortingly. But eventually, I felt okay enough to retract from his hold and get out of the car. I examined the damage to the front of my car from hitting the wall. It wasn't too bad, but it'd still require some work to fix it.

"Miley?"

"Mhmm?" I responded, gliding my hand across the no longer smooth metal.

"Have you been fighting?" He asked seriously, getting out of the car to get a closer look at my jaw.

"Huh?" I said before realising. Mik's fist must have left a pretty hefty bruise. "Oh, no, I fell down in the parking lot." I lied. My dad didn't need to know Lilly's best friend had punched me.

"Oh honey," he sighed, putting his hand on my shoulder and offering a weak smile. "It's not been your day today has it?"

"That," I said. "Is the understatement of the year."

-X-

[Lilly]

I knew it was Johnny. I just knew it. Everything just added up. Why I didn't realise before I saw that smug grin of his? I wiped that off his face pretty quick with my fist. My heart wasn't in it though. I just felt so empty, so drained. I hated how I'd treated Miley today. It had been so hard to ignore her, to tell her I didn't want to talk to her... to end things with her. How I managed not to crumple into a sobbing mess right then and there I don't know.

Detention was full of people glancing my way every so often. Even though there was no talking allowed, people still found ways to communicate; passing notes when the detention duty teacher wasn't looking, or even if it were just through eye contact and hand gestures.

I suppose I should have done work, but I had no motivation. Instead I just doodled in my notepad, the pen moving of its own accord as I stared into space. It was taking a lot of effort not just to grab my bag and walk out of here. It was taking more effort not to run out and all the way into Miley's arms. I'd hurt her. I knew that. I wish I hadn't. I wish I could have made it easier; less public. But... my mom turning up just... well, it just made me angry and desperate and so fucking upset!

That's why I was doing this. For one reason. My mother.

[Miley]

I woke up the next morning happy. Then I remembered. That happy feeling quickly dissipated and I felt the rawness of my throat accentuated by my dry mouth. I'd cried so fucking much. I'd have the day off school like my dad had suggested, but I wanted to see Lilly, I wanted to see if she was upset about this as I was – if she truly meant what she said. Plus, I didn't want Johnny to win by getting to me. I didn't want the whole school talking behind my back, if they had something to say they could say it as I walked past, not while I cowered in bed.

I showered and got dressed, heading downstairs and slumping in the chair, resting my head on the cool marble of the kitchen table. I hadn't gotten that much sleep last night.

"She loves you, you know,"

I lifted my head at that. Maurice was offering me a weak smile and a bagel. I took the bagel from his hands but had no intention of eating it. "What..."

"I know Miley. I could see how you both looked at each other; I'm not blind," he placed his cool palm on my forearm. "She loves you. That much is obvious,"

"How can it be true if she ended things like she did?" I sighed and hung my head but Maurice took hold of my jaw and made me look at him.

"Miley. That girl loves you. If she's ended things, I'm pretty sure there's something you don't know about."

"Like what? Johnny posted photos all over school of Lilly and I kissing. Then the same day she ends things. Surely it's something to do with the photos and the whole school knowing... but we both knew that one day it wouldn't be our dirty little secret anymore..."

"Maybe the change was harder than she expected," he offered. "You've got to remember Miley, you're a popular girl who is used to attention, hell, you enjoy attention. Now Lilly... maybe she never expected to be the centre of attention like this, maybe she wasn't ready to come out so publically."

I pondered this for a few moments. "But why wouldn't she just talk to me about it?"

"Maybe that's not all there is to it?"

"But what else could there be?" I asked growing impatient at Lilly's behaviour and my lack of figuring out its reasons.

"I don't know, Miley. I really don't."

-X-

I got to school late. I didn't want everyone's eyes on me like yesterday; I don't think I could cope with that again. In fact, I knew that I couldn't. Those scrutinizing eyes and those hushed whispers were too much for me to cope with. Sure, I was a cheerleader, the queen of the school, I was used to people looking at me, talking about me, hating me... this was different. This wasn't just a social status; this was me; my personal feelings and my new preference that was the topic of conversation. It just wasn't as easy to cope with.

School dragged. To most people it did regardless of anything happening in their life, but today, every hour that passed was like an age. I kept my head down and tried to concentrate on my work despite how hard it was to ignore even the teacher's gaze. I saw Lilly once the whole day. At lunch. I saw her buy an apple then she disappeared, presumably to go eat it away from staring eyes. I should have done that. I should have brought sandwiches from home and eaten them in my car. That would have been the smart idea. But no, Miley Stewart was not smart – how could I be if I'd been oblivious to someone taking a photo of me making out with my girlfriend?

I went to go sit with the other cheerleaders at our usual table but they all glared at me. I sat down regardless and they all made a point of standing up in unison and sitting on another table, forcing its current occupants away. Even they didn't come and sit with me; instead they stared at where they'd been sat, then at the only seats remaining – on my table, then left. They'd rather not eat than sit with the lesbian.

Fine. That was fine. What did I expect? I knew that if people found out, the whole hierarchy and school systems would be ruptured. I knew that. It was typical. It was cliché but here I was, the Queen being shunned by her people. I guess Traci's the new Queen now. I glanced over to where she and the other cheerleaders were laughing at my misfortune. The skaters were right; we really are cheerbitches. But then, I was never truly one of them. I was still a Tennessee girl at heart; I never lost sight of that despite my popularity and wealth sustained from Hannah. I enjoyed cheerleading, I like the attention too – it helped my come out of my shy, quiet shell and I loved all the 'friends' I had. I'd only had a few back home, but here, everyone seemed to love me. They might be just saying it to my face, but I didn't really care at first. Lilly made me see just how different I was from Traci, Amber, Ashley and the rest of them. They truly where the stereotypical selfish cheerleader. And now, my Lilly was no longer mine.

I bit back tears. I wasn't going to cry in front of all these people. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. Nor was I going to leave. I ate my lunch at a normal pace then cleared away my tray and went to sit outside in the sun. I went to a secluded spot by the oak tree out at the front of the school, sitting down on the grass and leaning against the bark of the tree.

I sighed. It was only lunch. I had three more hours before school let out. I wish I could at least get a few minutes alone time with Lilly, let her explain what the hell was going off in her mind. She confused the hell out of me. Did she care? Maurice said she loved me. That it was obvious. So why wasn't she even looking at me? Not even a small smile or anything... it hurt. It made my chest ache. It made my heart sink in the empty chasm it beat against.

-x-

"Miley!"

I turned to the familiar voice, as did many others in the parking lot – wanting to get the latest gossip. I didn't care. They may as well hear it from the horse's mouth rather than the rumours that would surely be circulating.

"Hi Mik," I greeted as she bounded up to me, her dark hair bouncing on her shoulders. "How is she?"

"Not good." She said solemnly. I couldn't help but be comforted by that; she was suffering too, that meant she _did_ feel something for me. "She's hardly speaking to me anyway but if I even mention you, she turns silent. I swear, its' like trying to get blood from a stone. I would hit her if she weren't my best friend." She chuckled half-heartedly before turning more serious and placing her hand on my forearm. "How are you?"

"Hardly functioning," I scoffed. "I'm so confused Mik. Why is she being like this? We both knew it'd happen one day..."

"I know. I'm trying to find out I swear." She said before looking around at the crowd who were obviously eavesdropping. "Fancy going somewhere without immature douchebags listening in?" she directed more at the crowd than me.

"Sure." I agreed and we both climbed into my Audi, Mik shoving her board down in the footwell, and I flashed back to when Lilly was first in my car. I sighed and shook the memories from my mind and left the car park, not knowing where to drive to.

"Go to Lilly's."

"What?" I asked shocked at what she'd asked. "I'm not in the mood to have the door slammed in my face."

"Well if you don't go, I will." She said simply. "I'm not having Lilly throw this chance away. I've never seen her as happy as when she's been with you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I know she loves you. That much is obvious."

"That's what my housekeeper said,"

"Well it's true. I think I knew before she did, I could just see how her eyes lit up when she mentioned your name, or how she smiled when she told me about you two kissing,"

"She told you about that?"

"She's my best friend. She tells me everything," she explained, running a hand over the shaven star in her hair.

"Until now, that is."

"Until now."

[Lilly]

I sighed for what must have been the millionth time today. Today had dragged. It was so hard to ignore Miley. I don't think she spotted me most of the time. But I sure noticed her. Everywhere I turned, there she was. Taunting me. Tempting me.

I wanted so badly to just run up to her, hold her close and tell her I was sorry. Sorry that my mother is a bitch and a homophobic one at that. I wished I didn't care what my mother thought; but I did. I only had my mother now. My dad had fucked off and had a new family. I didn't have aunts or uncles, at least not ones that I talked to. I only had my mom now.

She'd threatened that she'd send me to go live with my dad unless I 'straightened up' but I knew that wouldn't happen. My mom was alone too. She wouldn't send me away, especially not to the man who had broke her heart. If she were to send me away, and it wouldn't surprise me if she did, it would be to one of those 'anti-gay camps' or something. Ugh, I shivered at the thought.

"Lilly, we need four House Mezes, three vegetarian risottos and check on the chicken!"

"Yes chef!" I yelled.

-x-

[Miley]

"There's no one home," said Mik as she climbed back into my car. I'd parked up out of sight of Lilly's house so that Lilly wouldn't not answer the door when Mik knocked because she knew I was there. It seemed that idea was a waste.

"You sure she wasn't just ignoring you?"

"I climbed the tree in her back yard and looked into her bedroom." She explained. "She's not home."

"Where could she be?"

"I've no idea..."

I put the car back in drive and did a U turn. "Where do you live Mik? I'll take you home." She gave me directions to her house and sat mostly in silence, listening to the radio. Yet again, one of my songs came on the radio and I got an idea. "Mik?"

"Mhmm?"

"Can I trust you?" I asked softly, contemplating whether my idea was good or not.

"Miley, you're one of us now as far as I'm concerned. You can trust me with your life," she smiled and I smiled back.

"Thank you Mik," I took a deep breath. "I have an idea. But only if Lilly doesn't speak to me tomorrow at all. You have to promise not to say anything to anyone. Not even Oliver."

"Oliver's my boyfriend..."

"Trust me, once I tell you, you'll know why I'd rather not have him know," I said, remembering how obsessed Oliver was with Hannah Montana.

"Okay..."

"I'm Hannah Montana." I said, indicating to the radio which still played my song. It was silent as she stared at me then she burst out laughing.

"What the fuck? Ha! Yeah, sure, course you are,"

"It's true." I protested.

"Okay okay, sure I believe you," she laughed. "You sing and dance on stage throwing your clothes around, sure."

"Honest," I said and started singing along to the radio. That stopped her laughing.

"Holy fuck." She said open jawed. "You sound just like her."

"That's cause I am her!" I said firmly, parking up next to Mik's green VW Beetle on the driveway, recognising it from when Lilly practically kidnapped me to Silver Point. I shook away the memories. "If she ignores me again tomorrow, I want you to get her to come to Jupiter. You know, the club on Walker Ave?"

"Yeah, I know the one... why?"

"I'm doing a gig on Saturday night. If she won't listen to me at school, I'll make her listen."

"By announcing your love in front of hundreds of people. I don't think this is the smartest idea Miley,"

"It might not be the smartest but it's the only one I've got. Tell me you'll do it Mik; I can't think of any other way to talk to her,"

"Hmm, okay."

-x-

[Lilly]

She'd been trying to find me all day. I had to keep diving into classrooms to avoid her when I spotted her in the corridor. If she cornered me I don't think I'd be able to hold back. I'd just fall into her arms. If I let myself back into her embrace, I'd never leave again and my mom would hate me forever and probably have Miley expelled or pull me out of school or something. If she can get me to quit psychology, I don't doubt she'd find a way to get me out of school. I couldn't have that. I couldn't go to an entirely different school, participate in lessons and watch their cheerleaders saunter down the corridors... I couldn't do that and not be reminded of her.

I sighed, holding my geography text book as I leant against the wall, watching as she headed into psychology. We only had psychology twice a week; Mondays and Fridays. I sighed again, longing to follow her but I resisted, instead turning on my heel and heading outside to study boring geography in the sun... visions of her searching for me made my heart ache.

[Miley]

Psychology. She couldn't avoid me in here. She might be able to disappear from sight in corridors but there was nowhere to hide in the classroom we shared for 5th period psychology. I went and sat in the seat next to hers, this way she'd have no chance of ignoring me. She would talk to me. I'd make it so.

I pulled out my notebook and put it on the table along with my textbook and flicked to our ongoing topic of relationships. Oh the irony.

"Well, now that we're all here." I looked up to see Mrs Stevens shutting the door.

"Um Miss, Lilly isn't here yet," I said before she could begin teaching. Murmurs began throughout the class as I mentioned her name, the odd soft giggle in my direction. People were so immature.

She looked up to find me sat alone in the corner and smiled. "Lilly is no longer in this class."

"She's what?" I blurted. I couldn't believe what she'd just said.

"Lilly is no longer in this class," she repeated and picked up her teachers edition of the text book. "She dropped the class. Now, can I please teach?"

I slumped into my chair. She'd dropped the class. Was she _that_ determined to avoid me? So much so that she'd drop her best subject? The one subject she didn't even have to try in to get A's? Why would she do such a thing? I bit back tears. She really can't love me. Maurice and Mik were wrong. She obviously _didn't_ love me.

"Today we're moving on from the maintenance of relationships to the breakdown. Now, does anyone know the six stages of breakdown?"

"One: have photos taped around school," muttered someone. Everyone laughed. Even Mrs Stevens couldn't hide her amusement.

"Hilarious." I said indifferently, not allowing the hurt into my voice, and stood. "Utterly hilarious." I stuffed my notebook back into my bag and picked up my textbook. I almost ran from the classroom, hearing Mrs Stevens calling after me, threatening me with detention if I didn't go back 'this instant'. I didn't care. I didn't care. I don't give a fuck anymore. I just want Lilly back. If she'd have me that is; it seemed she didn't care enough about me to even talk to me and explain...

Tears finally tumbled down my cheeks as I pushed open the door and ran to my car. I flung my bag and textbook onto the seat and fumbled to get the key into the ignition as fast as I could. I needed to be on my own and not feel watched.

[Lilly]

I saw her run out of the doors, rubbing at the tears which fell down her cheeks. She ran straight to her car and quickly zoomed past me, looking too distraught to notice me sat here watching. My heart ached at the sight. It was so damn hard to watch her cry and know that every tear was my fault.

[Miley]

'_Get her to come to the club tomorrow night.'_

-x-

**AN: Review, please? I know Lilly is out of character but having your mom hate you has gotta put a downer on your personality. **

**Oh and check out my tumblr. Link on my profile :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Heyy :) Dedicating this to Whurmy for the song choice and just being such an amazing girl! Enjoy x**

**Song: Sorry - Buckcherry**

**Chapter Fourteen: **Sorry

[Lilly]

I'm not a morning person on the best of days, but lately, it's been getting harder and harder to force myself out of my bed. I missed her so fucking much. I missed holding her hand; how our fingers interlaced perfectly. I missed running my fingers through her tousled locks; gripping onto it as she held me. I missed how she kissed; how our lips danced together in a heated embrace. I missed those delicious sounds she made; how they'd vibrate through my being and caress my very soul. I sighed. I missed her smile; the carefree, loving 100 watt smile which she so often showed me. I'd robbed her of that beautiful smile of hers... all because I cared what my mother thought of me.

I saw my no longer useful psychology book discarded on the floor as I swung my legs out of the warm cocoon of my bedding. I bit back tears. She looked so sad yesterday; well that's the understatement of the year Lilly! She was damn near hysterical as she zoomed off in her car. She'd clearly discovered I'd dropped psychology... well, been forced too. But she didn't know that. She didn't understand the reasons for my actions which made her hurt more, and me, because it made me seem like a bigger bitch than I actually was. But if I told her, she'd try and rectify it... like talk to my mom or something? That'd only make things worse. But god, I hated to see her cry... it made me wanna die.

I shuffled into my bathroom, running a hand through my knotted hair. At least it was Saturday. I had two days where I wouldn't have to see the pain I was causing my beautiful girl etched across her face. I felt a single tear trickle down my cheek as images of Miley's pained face circulated my brain. I wasn't going to cry. No. Not when my mom was home. If she caught me crying, she'd know why straight away and probably pull me out of school... despite me being so close to graduating that pulling me out would hinder my future.

-x-

I walked out of the store, gripping tightly to my new board. I sighed as I ran my hands across the deck. If it weren't for breaking my board, well having someone else break my board, would Miley and I have ever happened? Before I got in the car with her that day, I didn't realise who she really was. That day opened my eyes a little more, despite the fact I was kinda scared of her in case she were a lesbian. I guess subconsciously, I was more afraid that I was. That didn't bother me now. Gender doesn't matter. I fell for the perfect girl. And I broke her perfect heart.

I dropped the board to the ground and mounted it, planning on testing it out on the ride home. At least I won't have to have such early rides to school with mom on her way to work now. So asking for an advance on my pay check from La Maisonette was probably the best thing to do, it meant I didn't have to sit and listen to my mom rant about how even if I looked at Miley, even glanced at her, she'd punish me severely. What does that even mean? What could she possibly do that would hurt me more than her hating me?

-x-

"Come on Lilly!" I muttered to myself as I soared back and forth on the half pipe. "You can do better than this." I continued my utterances as I climbed higher and higher, grabbing more and more air each time. "More. You can do better. Harder. Faster. Higher."

I wondered briefly what it would look like to any spectators, the blonde girl talking to herself as she practically flew around the skate park determined to get as high as possible, to better herself each time. I was relatively new to this skate park, having only been once with Mik when we shared her board. Mik had been before, on its opening night with the rest of the guys... I was still reeling from finding myself naked in Miley's bed. I could remember now. For so long that night was a blank, but gradually, each time she kissed me... hazy memories came back. It was still blurry but I remembered. I remember kissing her fiercely, running my tongue over her body, leaving my marks across her stomach... I remember tasting her, touching her, feeling her... it drove me wild. The memory wasn't crystal clear, the feelings not 100% there but... hell, I remembered and it made me miss her more. My drunken self had taken her innocence and I was never going to be able to rectify that. The only memories of making love to her, they were dulled and muted by my intoxicated mind.

I felt tears in my eyes and an ache in my stomach. I wiped at my eyes. That was a mistake. I lost my balance in midair, my board disappearing from under me and I flayed about in the short time it took before my body crashed onto the concrete, sliding down the half pipe into the middle. "Fuck," I yelled and pulled my leg out from under me. It hurt but it definitely wasn't broken thankfully.

A few other skaters rushed over to me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just a flesh wound," I told them, wishing they'd give me a little more breathing space. The only girl there knelt down and offered me a tissue, I took it and thanked her, not bothering to explain I was crying before I fell.

"Um, here," I heard one of them say and they placed my board down next to me. I chuckled softly despite nothing being humorous. "You shouldn't do such tricks with a new board," he said and I just nodded. I knew that.

"Just blowing of steam..." I explained quietly. I used the tissue the girl had given me to dab at the blood oozing from my shin. It wasn't deep, just pretty gruesome looking. "I'll be fine," I said before wincing as I dabbed a little too hard. I pushed myself to my feet, the girl placing her hands on my arm and back to steady me. I shrugged her off. I shouldn't have done it so viciously as I saw the hurt in her eyes... she just didn't understand that her cool hands reminded me of the girl whose memory had caused me to fall off my board. "I'll be fine." I repeated, limping away from the skate park, my board under my arm.

-x-

"What the hell were you doing Lilly?" My mom yelled as she cleaned my bloodied leg. "You could have really hurt yourself! You know I don't like you on that skateboard,"

"What, are you gonna take that away from me too?" I muttered harshly. She slapped me hard around my face, the impact whipping my head to the side. Tears stung my eyes automatically from the burning pain across my cheek.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that, Lillian! Don't you dare!" She said, her eyes hard. "I'm doing this for you. Why can't you understand that?"

I didn't respond and she continued with her ministrations roughly on my leg. I didn't feel the pain of her wrapping my leg tightly in a bandage; I was preoccupied with the burning hand mark across my face. She'd hit me. Actually hit me. Fucking hell. If I was scared of her before, now I was fucking terrified.

-x-

[Miley]

_Get her there for around 10:30 x_

_Okay. I'll text you when we get to the club x _

I put my phone down and looked myself up and down in my mirror. I'd chosen my Cheap Trick t-shirt which displayed my stomach and teamed it with some leather shorts. I sighed at my reflection. I didn't want to be so... on display tonight. I wanted to be able to get the message across to Lilly without people drooling over how I looked. But Hannah Montana wasn't one to cover up; it was expected for her to show flesh.

I still wasn't sure what I was going to say when Lilly got there. I didn't want to out Hannah or Lilly to a full club of people or reveal myself as Hannah. I sighed and pulled on my wig, making sure my own brunette hair wasn't peeking out anywhere. I guess when I see her; I'll know what to do.

"You ready Miles?" I heard my dad call from the hallway. I sighed at my reflection again, before leaving the Hannah closet and closing it behind me. It was almost dark outside; enough time for a quick run-through before people began pouring into the club. Hopefully enough time to think of what to say to Lilly.

"Coming." I said, doubtful he'd even hear my feeble reply.

-X-

[Lilly]

"...I just think it'd be good for her to get out the house y'know?"

"Will _she_ be there?"

"Who?"

"Surely you know who I'm referring to Mikayla,"

"Oh. Right. Gotcha," Mik replied and I sat up from where I was lying on my bed, listening to the voices which drifted through my open door. I paused the music on my iPod and put down my psychology textbook – I might not be studying it anymore, but it wasn't any less interesting. "No. No, 'she' won't be there."

"Good."I heard my mom respond and I crept to the top of the stairs and peered down, seeing Mik stood at my door and my mom stood holding it open. "I don't want her influencing my Lillian anymore. I'm sure you agree,"

I saw Mik glance away from my mother and spot me at the top of the stairs. She quickly looked back to my mom. "Oh yeah, I totally agree,"

"You're a good friend to Lilly, Mik. Help her see how much of a mistake she's made,"

"Oh don't worry," Mik replied sincerely, throwing a glance at me again to make sure I caught the double meaning in her words. "I plan on making damn sure she knows."

"Good girl. Go on up dear." My mom said and stepped aside to let Mik in before closing the door behind her and then returning to the sofa. Mik headed up the stairs and I shrunk back into my room, staying sat on the floor but moving to lean my back against the bed.

Mik entered my room and closed the door behind her. She turned slowly, speaking as she did so. "So that's why... your mom."

"Yup..." I sighed. Mik lowered herself slowly to sit beside me, putting her arm around my shoulders. I leant into her touch, resting my head just under her chin. She ran a hand through my hair soothingly.

"Why..." she said after several minutes of silence. "Why do you let her control you like that? I know you love Miley,"

"Because she's my mom Mik. I can't have her hate me," I told her.

"But she's being unreasonable. It shouldn't matter who you love. You've been insanely happy ever since you got with Miley; surely all she could care about is your happiness."

I shrugged as if it didn't hurt to know that my mom had a blatant disregard for my happiness. "I'm not going to defy my mom Mik; she's all I have now."

"What?" Mik said, her harsh tone surprising me. She pulled back to look at me. "What did you just say?"

"She's all I have," I repeated and I saw anger and hurt in Mik's brown eyes and I knew I had confusion in mine. "I have no other family Mik. My dad fucked off and has a family of his own. My other relatives don't talk to us... my mom's all I have left, and I'm all she has. She's family."

Mik stood, pulling quickly away from me. "How can you say that?" she spat at me. I stood too, not know what was wrong. I reached out to her but she stepped back. "How could you possibly say that?" she said her harsh tone hushed to avoid drawing my mom's attention, but somehow that made it more menacing.

"What?" I asked perplexed. She could read me like an open book, but I had no chance in figuring out what went off in that head of hers. I was actually scared of my best friend right now as she stood in my room, her body tense and jaw set.

"You know how much you mean to me," she said pacing slightly, her hand practically clawing at the shaven star in her hair. "You and Oliver. You've both been there for me my whole life. You more than him of course but still." She sighed and wiped at the tears threatening to spill. I wanted to hug her but I was still confused and fearful of my short-tempered friend. "You know my parents are never around. Always away on business or vacation. Never taking me with them. Hardly calling to see how I am. The most contact I get from them is envelope each month with some money. That's it. For the majority of my life, you and Oliver... you've been my family." She took my hands fiercely in hers. "Lilly, you're so much more than a best friend to me. Always have been. And it hurts when you say that you only have your mum," she squeezed my hands and smiled softly but her brown eyes were serious. "_I'm_ your family. I love you and I'm always gonna be there for you. You're never gonna be alone when you have me. You're my sister."

"Mik..." I elongated the word as I smiled at her, my heart swelling with emotion as I pulled her into a hug. "You know I love you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to – I wasn't thinking," I pulled back to look into those beautiful brown eyes. "You're my sister," I smiled and she grinned. She was. Why didn't I ever think of her as my sister before? I've always said my friends were my family but... this was more than just an expression, Mik surely was my sister – there's no way our souls were mere strangers.

"Now, as your slightly older, _prettier_ sister," she smirked. "I order you to come out with me tonight."

"What?" I said still smiling at my _sister_.

"You. Me. Out. Tonight."

"Mik, I don't know..." I hesitated, sitting down on my bed and pulling a hand through my hair. "I don't feel up to it,"

"Lilly. I'm not giving you a choice. Either you get changed and come willingly, or I'm dragging you to the club wearing those ridiculous pyjamas of yours," she said with a laugh.

I looked down at my baggy band shirt and the shorts which had shrunk in the wash. "These are my _favourite_ pair," I protested.

"Then remind me to buy you a new favourite pair," she laughed, taking my hand and shoving me into the bathroom. "Get showered, get dressed and let's get out of here."

"Fine. But I'm not happy about it."

"I don't care," she laughed, caressing the shaven star again. That really was becoming a habit of hers.

-x-

[Miley]

I looked at the time as I sat backstage, guzzling a bottle of water. 10:25pm. I had just three more songs before I was finished for the night. I fanned myself with a magazine that'd been left for me. Did they really think I had time to read anything? My stomach was churning, nerves eating away at my insides. Standing up, practically half naked in front of hundreds, sometimes thousands of people didn't bother me. But knowing that Lilly was going to be in the crowd filled me with anxiety.

My phone vibrated on the dressing table and I practically pounced on it. _We're outside in the queue x._ Said the text and my stomach flipped. Show time.

[Lilly]

"Who are you texting?" I asked and peered at the screen of her phone. She hastily closed it and shoved it in her bag.

"Oliver."

"Oh... ew." I laughed and she gave me a playful slap on the arm. "Hey, I just rather not have the thoughts of your dirty texting thanks."

"Oh shush," she smirked and as we neared the front of the queue.

"Why did we come to Jupiter? It's not as good as your uncle's place and it's more expensive," I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. I'd opted for jeans tonight, covering the bandage on my leg. Mik had asked about it and I just told her I'd fallen over. It was hard to lie to her but she seemed preoccupied and bought it. I wasn't looking forward to her finding out I'd took my old job back with my overly-friendly stalker boss to pay for a new board.

"Cause I fancied a change," she shrugged then went to the bouncer. "Our names are on the list. Under either Gomez or Truscott." She told him and I was stunned. We were on the list? It was frickin' expensive to get on the list here! Surely not! He spotted our names on the clipboard and let us in through the VIP door.

"The hell Mik?" I asked, catching up to her as she picked up her pace inside. I grabbed her elbow and span her to look at me. She didn't look me in the eye. "What's going on Mik?" I asked hesitantly but still loudly above the music and the chatter of people. She didn't answer. I looked around and then I saw the sheer mass of people.

The Jupiter nightclub was similar to Mik's uncle's in how it had a higher level and a lower one where the stage was. But here, instead of just an iron railed walkway, there were balconies similar to that of a theatre or something, each with its own individual bar. Each of these balconies was full and, peering down towards the stage, I saw that it was packed there too. That's when I saw it. The familiar logo emblazoned on the drum kit on the stage.

"You weren't texting Oliver, were you?" I asked unnecessarily. She looked at me, a small shy smile on her lips as she shook her head. "What the hell were you thinking?" I said and turned to leave. She grabbed hold of my wrist to stop me, and at that exact moment, the lights dulled slightly and a spotlight focused on the stage causing the crowd to erupt into a deafening applause.

"Stay." She pleaded, leaning in close so I could hear her. "Please, let me fix this."

"It's can't be fixed," I shouted above the noise. "It's impossible. It's too late for it to be fixed anyway,"

"She doesn't think so," she said and nodded down to the stage where Miley, dressed to show off her amazing tanned abs and her incredible long legs, appeared on the stage. She headed to the microphone stand, scanning the audience as she did so.

[Miley]

I couldn't see her. I don't know why I thought I'd be able too; there are so many people in here tonight. And the lighting didn't help. Most of the crowd were barely visible in the darkness. I wish I'd thought to text Mik and ask where they'd be... too late now.

I outstretched my arms in a gesture for the crowd to quieten down. They reluctantly did and I gripped the microphone with shaking hands. "Hey y'all," I started still unsure of what to say. "Before I move onto my next song I'd like to say a little something... dedicate it to someone,"

The crowed 'oohed' and I smiled weakly. "Yeah, something like that," I tried to joke but the humour caught in my throat along with all my nerves. "Um... forgive me guys, I'm not sure how to word this..." I pulled a hand through my hair.

"Pretend we're all naked!" a blonde girl on the front row yelled and everyone chuckled.

I laughed, some nerves dislodging, "Trust me, if you could see what I could see from up here... nakedness isn't the best of ideas." The crowd laughed and I held my hand out for them to stop. "Now seriously. This 'dedication'. I suppose I should just come out with it... I'm with someone," the crowd began to applaud but it stopped when I corrected myself. "..._was_ with someone. It's messed up and I'm not gonna bore you with all the details. But, they're here tonight. And I want them to know, I'm not gonna give up. Not ever. We can fix this," I said into the microphone looking around, hoping to spot Lilly somewhere. "We can fix this. I promise. Anything you want, I'll do it. Just... just come back to me!"

"Yeah!" someone yelled. Then another. And another. Soon the audience were chanting.

"Please? Tell me we can work this out."

[Lilly]

I could hear the racing beat of my heart echoing in my ears. I watched, holding my breath as she searched the crowd for me, pleading me to come back to her. What does she want me to do? Go down there or something? Not only would that out me in front a club of strangers, it'd out Hannah and people would put two and two together that Hannah was in fact, Miley.

She sighed, the sad sound reverberating from the speakers and into my chest. It stung to hear her sadness so loud and clear. I took a sharp breath in and I felt Mik squeeze my fingers. I'd smile at her, glad for the comfort but I couldn't tear my eyes away from the blonde-wigged girl on the stage, the one with sheer sadness on her face. Her eyes closed and she rested her head on the microphone for a moment, just breathing... then she started to sing.

[Miley]

"Well it's good to hear your voice, I hope you're doing fine," I began, the band automatically playing along. My dad and I had wrote this a while back, planning on releasing it later this year with the new album... but the lyrics just seemed kinda perfect right now... so I sang. "And if you ever wonder I'm lonely here tonight. I'm lost here in this moment and time keeps slipping by. And If I could have just one wish, I'd have you by my side.

[Lilly]

"Oh-oh I miss you," She sang, her eyes searching for me again. "Oh-oh, I need you,"

I couldn't cope with this. It was too much. Hearing the emotion in her voice, seeing it on her face and feeling it in my heart... it was too much; my already broken heart couldn't stand the pain of it. I pulled my hand from Mik's who gave me a concerned look.

"And I love you more than I did before..." Miley continued singing.

"I've got to go." I said to Mik, feeling tears in my eyes. I've cried so much over this girl. "I can't stand it."

"Lilly please..." she begged reaching for me, but I was already slipping away, squeezing between people who were swaying their phones in the air. The club now a sea of cell phone lights.

"Say you love me more than you did before and I'm sorry that it's this way," Miley's beautiful voice echoed in my head. I am too Miley, I'm so sorry. But this is just how it is; I can't change it no matter how much I want to.

"Excuse me," I said, pushing past more people in my attempt to escape. "Excuse me! God, move!"

"Hey, watch it!" someone said and pushed me. I toppled into someone else who elbowed me for it and I ended up right at the front, my back against the railing and the light from people's cell phones in my eyes.

I turned slowly, knowing that my luck would mean she'd see me. I looked down at her. I was right.

[Miley]

There she was. Looking right at me, her face lit up a pale blue colour with the light of several cell phones.

"Well I try to live without you," I sang directly to her now. "The tears fall from my eyes. I'm alone and I feel empty. God, I'm torn apart inside."

I watched as she shook her head, almost in slow motion before pushing through people and disappearing from view. She was leaving.

"No!" I yelled. The crowd stopped swaying. The music stopped playing. Everyone stared. I hoped it had stopped Lilly from leaving too but I doubted it. She was stubborn, as our mess of a breakup showed. "Don't leave!" I begged. The audience all turned to where I was looking. "Please, _stay_! Please!" It took all my self control not to yell out her name.

[Lilly]

I stopped in the midst of the crowd. The heartache, hurt and desperation in her voice causing me to stop in my tracks. I wanted just to turn and run to her. But I couldn't. I'd hurt her enough, I couldn't run to her then say that we can't ever be together.

I realised people were starting to look. I had stopped when she said to stay. She'd also stopped singing once I'd moved. It didn't take much of a genius to figure it out. So I ran. I literally ran through the crowd, pushing people out of the way and keeping my head down. Hopefully they wouldn't see my face... hopefully, they'd think I was a long haired boy so that Hannah wasn't outed... but I doubted that.

[Miley]

I couldn't see her at all. I just stared at where she had been stood. She was gone. I knew it. I continued to stare though, continued to hope that I'd see her face again. Someone pushed through the crowd and my heart swelled. Then fell. It wasn't Lilly. But it was Mik. She shook her head at me, telling me what I already knew. She'd gone.

"No." I muttered. "You're not running away again." I dropped the microphone and ran off stage. I heard the murmurs of the crowd but I didn't care. Lilly wasn't getting away again.

"Bud, what the Sam heck are you doin'?" My dad said as I ran through the corridors.

I threw my wig at him as I ran past, seeing the fire exit door ahead. I burst through it, the cold night air licking at my exposed flesh. I didn't care. I might freeze to death but I was going to find Lilly. I searched the car park but there was no one there.

"Miley, what are you doing?" I turned and saw a concerned Mik. "She could be anywhere."

"No..." I breathed, still frantically looking around. "I know exactly where she'll be."

"Where?" Mik asked, "Miley, you're scaring me."

I didn't respond to her, instead I ran. I ran to where I knew she'd be. If she wasn't there, then I didn't know where else to look. She had to be there.

-x-

[Lilly]

I had my head in my hands as I dangled my feet over the edge. My head might be in my hands but my heart was somewhere else, it was pretty much shattered but it was still hers. It always would be, whether she understood that or not. Seeing her tonight... that had just tipped me over the edge.

"Fuck!" I yelled into the night sky, picking up a pebble and launching it at the moon which mocked me with its silvery pallor. The pebble soared some distance in the air before cascading down and landing in the calm water below. Even here, in my special place, the place where I'd always been safe... it oozed with her presence. She'd been here with me. She'd kissed me here. I could even see her eyes in the twinkling stars in the sky; her beauty in the iridescent glow of the moon; feel her cool hands in the night breeze which blew my hair around my face. It was like she was here, taunting me.

"Please don't jump,"

"I'm not gonna jump."

"Then get away from the edge before I have a heart attack, Lilly."

I turned to look behind me then, realising the voice wasn't just in my head. She was there. She was holding her chest and panting, the white light of the moon highlighting her flushed face. "Did you run all the way here or something?"

"Yes." She answered simply, still breathing heavy as she took a cautious step forward. "Now, please, come away from the edge,"

"I'm not gonna jump." I assured her. I might be upset, but jumping wouldn't solve anything. I peered down over the edge and noted the sharp rocks some 200 feet below.

"You better not." She said firmly, "Cause I'd jump right after you. You are not leaving me _again_."

"Miley..." I elongated her name.

"Don't '_Miley..._' me! Get the fuck away from the edge!" she ordered.

"Fine!" I yelled back at her and shuffled away from the edge before standing. I almost fell back down as Miley's body crashed into mine, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck as she buried her face in the crook of my neck. "Miley... Miles please..." I begged, trying to struggle free of her grasp. She simply held on tighter. My willpower quickly diminished and my arms wrapped around her waist, holding her as close to me as I could.

I felt her smile against my neck. "I've missed you," she mumbled, kissing my neck softly. I bit my lip to contain the groan in my throat; it'd been too long since I'd had her touching my skin.

I pushed my face into her hair, savouring everything about her. "I've missed you too."

She pulled back slightly too look at me but kept as much of her body pressed against mine as she could, her fingers caressing the back of my neck. "Then why'd you leave me? Johnny's a douche, and so are the rest of the school. We shouldn't let that bother us. We're out now; we don't have to hide anymore. I know it's sooner than we thought, and hardly how we wanted it to happen... but Lilly, it has happened. We can't change that. We've got to deal. And I want to be able to deal with it _with you_. Lilly, I lo–"

"Don't." I said and quickly brought my hand up to cover her mouth. "Please don't... don't make this harder than it already is,"

She mumbled behind my hand before pulling it away with her own. "Harder? Of course I want it to be hard. I never want it to be easy for you to leave me. I want it to be hard; I want it to be so damn hard that you _can't_ leave me." She said firmly, cupping my face so that I couldn't escape those ocean eyes of hers. "But that doesn't mean that I don't mean it when I say that I love you."

"Miley..." I almost cried at those beautiful words which only served to cause greater pain to me knowing that we couldn't be together. "I..." I wanted to tell her. I wanted to tell her but the words caught in my throat alongside the tears of knowing it wouldn't change anything.

"I love you, Lilly Truscott." She smiled before she put her lips on mine. There was no resisting then. My hands were in her hair, keeping her connected to my lips as I pushed my own against hers. I felt her smile before she ran her tongue along my bottom lip. I opened my mouth and she gladly slid her tongue against mine. Her hands soon dropped to my hips, squeezing them as she pulled my groin flush against hers. I couldn't contain the groan this time as it slipped out of my mouth and into hers.

I pulled back for air, resting my forehead on her own. "I love you too," I whispered. There. I'd said them aloud; actually voiced them for the first time.

[Miley]

"What?" I asked even though I'd heard her whisper clearly. Did she just say that she loved me? Yes. She did. I grinned from ear to ear. I felt actually happiness in my chest again rather than its sheer emptiness of the past few days without her. I sighed contently in her embrace, rubbing circles with my thumbs on the back of her neck.

"I love you," she repeated just as softly. Somehow my smile grew wider as my heart swelled. I kissed her softly, not vigorous and desperate like before. I was filled with a warmth that even the cool night air on my exposed skin couldn't diminish.

"You've no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that," I whispered softly against her lips. I nuzzled her nose with mine and she smiled. That smile faltered and disappeared and I grew fearful of what she was about to say.

"Miley..." she started, lowering her gaze and I was filled with dread at her tone. "This doesn't change anything... we still can't be together,"

"Why not?" I protested, feeling like a child as I practically whined at her. "We're great together, we love each other... what could come between that?"

"I'm sorry Miley. It's not that I don't love you," she looked up at me then, placing her palm on my cheek. I leant into her touch, noticing the tears in her eyes and the heavy circles beneath them from previous crying. "There's just more than my own happiness to consider now..."

"What about my happiness, Lilly?" I asked softly before turning my head and kissing her palm. "I'm only happy when I'm with you..."

"Miley, you don't understand..."

"Damn right I don't," I almost shouted, grabbing her shoulders and looking her dead in the eye. "I love you. You hear me? I _love_ you... Lilly, just let me love you."

She sighed, "I wish I could Miles," she shuffled out of my hold on her. "I _really_ wish I could."

"Lilly..." I elongated the word with my desperation as I could see she was about to turn and run. I grabbed her hand and I could see how it pained her not to turn back into my arms. "Please..."

"I'm sorry..." her voice barely above a whisper as she looked longingly at me. "I can't..." she said her voice thick with tears as she finally slipped from my grasp and ran into the cover of the trees along the cliff path that led to her house.

I sank to the ground. I'd run after her but what's the point? She clearly doesn't want to be with me. How can she say she loves me when she only wants to leave me?

[Lilly]

"You're home early," my mom noted from the living room as I entered the house, trying to control my heavy breathing. I don't know how my legs had allowed me to run so much tonight. Jupiter was across town from Silver Point and I'd managed to get there pretty quick. I guess it was due to adrenaline or something; you know, fight or flight...

"Yeah, Mik felt a bit ill so we decided to call it a night." I lied, my eyes focusing on the zipper as I pulled off my thin jacket. I heard her footsteps and soon her red slipper-clad feet entered my peripheral vision.

"... Lilly?"

"Mhmm?" I looked up at her as I kicked off my shoes. "What?"

"Are you crying?" she scrutinized.

Shit. I didn't even realise. I wiped at my face. Yep, there were tears there. "The wind's cold... made my eyes water,"

"Lillian." She said sternly. I knew she wouldn't buy it but it was worth a go. "It's that girl again isn't it?"

"Mom..."

"You've been crying over that slut again!" she exclaimed and I felt hate boil in the pit of my stomach, along with a hurt of hearing Miley being talked about so untruthfully.

"She's not a slut." I said through gritted teeth, my hands clenched into fists. "Miley is not a slut. She's the most amazing person I've ever met."

"Lillian, I will not have you talk to me in such a tone," she said putting her hands on her hips. "That girl brainwashed you. She's a bad influence and seems to be a continuing influence on you. She was clearly using you, Lillian, using you in her twisted ways. She's a disgrace to nature."

"Fuck off mom!" I yelled. I was prepared for the swift slap she delivered but it didn't make it sting any less. "Say what you like about me. I can take it. Hit me all you want for it. I'll get over it. But don't you dare say such things about Miley. Don't even _think_ them. I love her. She loves me. You can't seem to grasp that concept but it's true. Maybe you don't understand love anymore since dad left you, but I have love in my life and it's her! I'm trying to make you happy by letting you kick me out of classes, by not talking to her at school, avoiding her when I can. That doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt or that I don't love her. It just means I love you too. I love you mom, despite what an utter bitch you're being over my happiness!"

She was stunned. I'd never spoken back to her before. My heart raced in my chest, fearing what she would say, what she would do. I decided the best option was to get out of the way of her inevitable wrath. So I ran upstairs to my room and swiftly shut the door behind me, leaning my back against the wood.

[Miley]

"You can't half run fast Miley," I turned to see a panting Mik approaching me. "Did you find her?"

"Yeah... she said she loved me." I said indifferently, pulling at blades of grass and throwing them into the night breeze.

"Well... that's good. Isn't it?"

"Not when she still says she can't be with me and runs off." I continued in that indifferent tone, not allowing myself to cry.

"She ran off again?" Mik exclaimed and sat down beside me, breathing heavy and running a hand over her shaven star. "Did she explain anything to you?"

"No, not really. She says she loves me then she says we still can't be together... I don't get it..."

"So she didn't mention her mom?" Mik asked and I turned my head quickly to look at her hard, surprised at this new information. "She didn't, did she?"

I shook my head slowly. I understood now. "Her mom isn't ... yay-gay is she?"

"Not in the slightest," scoffed Mik. "I'd of told you myself but I didn't think it was my place to say. I only found out myself tonight. Her mom 'hates' her because of all this..."

"How could anyone hate Lilly?" I thought out loud, sighing.

"You did." Mik said simply.

I was going to protest but I couldn't. It was true. Queen Miley had hated all the skaters. She'd hated anyone who didn't have an ounce of popularity. The skaters had none; therefore, they were hated most. I did used to hate Lilly, but her as a person, merely the skaters as one entity. But that was before I knew them. They were still people. Amazing people at that. Lilly was incredible and Mik was too... Oliver, well he was Oliver. Johnny was a dick and did deserve to be hated. But being a skater didn't make them worthy of hate, it was just something they enjoyed like how I was a cheerleader.

"... I know, but only because I didn't understand." I told Mik and she gave me a look, tilting her head slightly with her sculpted eyebrows raised. "What?"

"You really think her mom understands?"

-x-

**AN: Yay, Miley knows about Lilly's mom's influnence, and Lilly told her mom off :D I need to bring Johnny back into this so he can have a fist in his face or something :/**

**Review please. Don't make me get the spatula and smack yo' ass! Stay tuned x**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: No, you aren't seeing things, this is infact an update. I know it's been forever and all I can do is apoligise :( Sorry. I also said Johnny was coming back, but that'll be next chapter, I was going to put it in this one but I just wanted to post something. Enjoy x**

**Dedicated to the _amazing _****LostInTheSoundOfHerVoice** And yes, you can get lost in the sound of her voice. :)

**Chapter song by Paramore :D**

**Chapter Fifteen: **Misguided Ghosts

[Miley]

"_You think her mom understands?" _

Mik's voice echoed in my head as I woke the next morning. I lay in my bed simply staring at the ceiling for the longest time. I stared at it as if the answers to my problems would just appear, etched into the white expanse above me. I knew that couldn't happen, that it was impossible for the ceiling to know answers, it was inanimate and I was delusional.

"_You think her mom understands?" _

Mik's voice sounded in my head again and I sat up instantly, tossing the covers away and swung my legs out of the bed and onto the cool floor. That's all that stood between us. Lilly's mom and her 'misunderstanding'. If her mom could understand how much I love her daughter, how much her daughter loved me... it'd all be okay then; wouldn't it? Wouldn't it?

"Ugh!" I pushed myself off of the bed and into my bathroom, shedding my clothes and jumping straight into the shower. I can't not have Lilly in my life. I just can't.

-X-

[Lilly]

I daren't come out of my room. My mom was scary enough when she was mad at me... but I'd really shouted at her last night. Sworn at her. I'd thrown in a jibe about my dad too. I didn't want to come out of my room. I was scared of how she'd react. She hadn't come in last night, presumably too shocked to come shout at me right away... or so angry she was scared she'd hurt me. Well, she'd slapped me twice now. Hard. And that was before I'd said what I had. What would she do now? Grab a kitchen knife? No, don't be stupid Lilly. She's not going to physically kill you. Just make it feel that way.

It got to the early afternoon and I still hadn't dared leave my room. I knew she was home because I could hear the TV on downstairs. My stomach rumbled. Damn it! I'd be fine if I weren't so damn hungry. I had my own bathroom, I had my laptop, bunches of magazines and my TV... I was fine cooped up here for as long as I needed. The only thing I was missing... was food. I usually have a stash of chips but they were gone. And I knew I hadn't had them. Which meant it was Mik. Or Oliver. More likely to be Oliver; you can never get that boy full – his stomach is like a bottomless pit.

I grabbed my phone and was just about to text Oliver to tell him I hated him for eating my only food source when I heard a knock at the front door then I heard it opened... then slammed.

"Please! Just let me at least talk to her! You can't keep her away from me forever!"

"Go away! You are not welcome here!"

I opened my bedroom door and crawled onto the landing, peering through the stair banisters to the front door. I could see Miley's figure on the other side of the glass. Her fist pounding on the door while my mom's were shaking with anger. Oh god. Please don't hit Miley, I begged her silently.

"I love your daughter!" Miley yelled then I saw the letter box open and Miley's face appeared in the small slot. "I love your daughter." She repeated at a much lower volume. "I love her. I know you might not understand the reasons why, or why it had to be me but it's true. I do love her."

"You're a _child_! How could you possibly know what love is?" My mom spat towards the door.

"I know I'm young. I'm eighteen but I've witnessed love. I've seen _true_ love. My parents met when they were my age and I've never seen two people more connected to each other. Like pieces of a jigsaw. They were meant to be. It sounds cliché but it's true. So please don't question my understanding of love. I wouldn't say I loved your daughter unless it was true. I've never been as happy as when she's in my life, nor as miserable as when she's not there. She is everything to me, all I want is her happiness but I also have that selfish need for my own happiness. It's not enough for me to merely love her; I need her to love me back, to be with me. I know she loves me. She told me so herself. Preventing her from being with me is only hindering her happiness and I know that as her mother, you don't want to see your daughter unhappy."

My mom paused for a moment and my heart swelled; was she finally coming around to it? "Of course I want my daughter happy. I just know she won't get that from you." My heart reduced in size at that. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. "I know what love is. Do not question that. I've had love. I've also had it taken from me. I will not have my daughter experience that," Miley started to protest but my mom just continued over her. "Don't tell me that it won't happen. Surely you aren't so stupid that you don't realise the prejudice against your kind!"

"My _kind_?" repeated Miley, the shock and hurt evident in her voice.

"_Her kind?_"I echoed, more shock and more hurt in my voice than Miley's. I felt Miley's eyes on me from the letterbox but I wasn't looking at her, I was looking at my mom who was clearly surprised at my sudden appearance. The one who was hurting me. "Her kind? There is no 'kind' mother. We're simply two people who have fallen for each other. So what if we're both girls? Since when is love defined by gender. I love her mom."

"Lilly, I'm your mother..." she almost pleaded. "I'm trying to protect you. I've seen how... the prejudice Lilly, I don't want you hurt."

"You hurt me more than any prejudice. Mom, the whole school knows about Miley and I. Johnny sent you that photo of me and Miley. He posted the picture all around school. Every single student at Seaview High knows. And yeah, there's prejudice... tonnes of it. But I didn't care about that. I cared what you thought. I didn't want you to hate me." I blinked back my own tears, seeing the ones in my mother's own eyes.

"Lilly... I don't hate you. I want to protect you. This is just a phase..."

"Stop saying that. It isn't. I love her. I'm not going to stop anytime soon either. If you can't accept that then... I don't know..." I sighed. "I can't deal with this right now." I said before turning on my heel and back into my room, slamming the door behind me. I grabbed my phone and text Miley that I was sorry my mom was a bitch to her. My mom had made me delete Miley's number, but what she didn't know is that I'd figured she'd make me do that and had saved the number under 'Hannah' before I deleted Miley's number.

I fell back onto my bed, tossing my phone aside as tears flooded down my cheeks. That's all it was though. Tears. It wasn't crying per se, just 'leakage' because too many emotions were raging around my body that it couldn't possibly be crying – simply that mixture of emotions finding a common release and running down my face. I heard my phone vibrate but I didn't even look away from where I was staring at the floor, trying to persuade it to open up and swallow me simply by the intensity of my stare. The next thing I knew, there was a small bang at my window and I jumped. Looking, I saw Miley precariously balanced on the tree outside my window, leaning across the gap to knock on my window. Seeing she'd gotten my attention, she gestured with her hand to let her in.

I was a little bewildered, seeing Miley at my window and I didn't quite know what to say when I opened it, the only thing coming to my lips was "What are you doing?" in a hushed voice. She waved off the comment and held out her hand for me to help her. I leant out, holding onto the window frame as I grabbed her forearm and she gripped mine. She then leapt from the outermost branch and onto my windowsill then into my arms. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck almost instantly. I was knocked back slightly from the motion but I righted myself and snaked my own arms around her middle, my face in the crook of her neck.

"I needed to make sure you were okay..." she whispered into my hair, her breath warm as it touched my ear. "I thought I could fix it... tell her I loved you, that I want you happy... that she'd understand, you know?"

"I know..." I sighed as I held her and reluctantly pulled back. Miley smiled weakly and lifted her cool fingers to my face, wiping the wetness from my cheeks. I leant into her touch and my eyes flickered closed for a moment. I missed this. Our ease with each other, knowing just what to do, how to touch one another... that was almost an impossibility now. Fuck the school. The school could know and I don't really care. It's my damn mother that's gonna get between us... has got between us. "My mom just... I don't know..."

"We'll figure it out honey..." she said hopefully and took her hand in mine, kissing my knuckles before squeezing it. "We love each other, that's all we need...shit!" She added the last hushed shout as we heard a knocking at my door.

"Lilly. Can I talk to you?" my mother's voice came from the other side of the door. She sounded calm but I was still scared. I was simply glad she hadn't walked right in and found that Miley had sneaked into my room. We both looked at each other, mirroring fear in our eyes.

"The closet." I whispered and pushed her towards it and inside where she crouched down on the floor amongst my shoes which were scattered around. I put my fingers to my lips, "Stay in here." I ordered and closed the door on her. I wiped my eyes and opened my bedroom door to reveal my mother, smeared mascara under her eyes. _She'd_ been crying?

"Lilly. I can't stand this."

"Well I'm not too happy about it either," I spat.

"Do not take that tone with me," she said, anger flashing in her eyes and fear jolting my body. She saw this and her eyes grew softer. She reached out to touch my cheek but I flinched back and she drew her hand back. "I'm sorry Lilly. For everything. For being such an awful mother to you, for... hitting you," she stumbled over her words, hesitating over the word 'hitting'.

"No you're not. If you were truly sorry you'd have apologised after the first time you hit me, actually no, you wouldn't have hit me in the first place,"

"Lilly. I'm trying to apologise here and you're just shooting me down."

"Well I'm sorry," I said sarcastically, "I find it hard to be civil with people who hate me."

"I don't hate you Lilly, I love you; you're my daughter."

"Fine. You don't hate _me._ But you hate 'what I am'."

"Lilly, please try and understand where I'm coming from. I'm trying to protect you. You're my only daughter – I don't want you hurt." I could see tears brimming her eyes but I couldn't sympathise with her. I did understand what she was saying, but it didn't mean that it was right.

"You said that downstairs and I told you that it's you who is hurting me. Can't you just accept that I love Miley? The world can throw whatever the hell it likes at me, I don't care. I just want to hold my girlfriend's hand and not have my mother freak out over it. Please mom. It's not just a 'phase' it's not an 'experiment' or any other term you might use. I _love_ her. She makes me happy. But I want you to be happy _for_ me too. Okay, that might be a bit much but can you at least just act as if you are. I tried not being with her to please you but it hurt too much. I'm going to date her. I'm not going to stop being with her, but it'd be nice to think I had some support from my mom..."

She stared at me for a while. Her mouth opening then closing as if she couldn't quite find the words. Eventually, as my heart beat loudly in my chest from suspense, she spoke. "...I can't."

Those two words shattered me. Completely and utterly shattered me. I wanted to ask why, to shout at her, to beat my fists against her chest as I wept. But I couldn't move.

"I'm sorry darling, but I just can't it's too hard..."

"What happened to unconditional love for your family..." I muttered, hanging my head, unable to look at her.

"I do love you. Of course I do," she said and took a hold of my chin for me to look at her. I felt like I should reject the affection and take my chin from her grasp, but I needed it. It was only tiny, but it was proof she did care about me somewhere amongst that 'hate which isn't hate'. "There's just... one condition really..."

"I'm not allowed to be gay?"I mumbled and I could see in her eyes that that was the condition. "It's not a choice..."

She sighed. "Maybe I just need some time... I don't know..."

I didn't respond. I just let her hold my chin and stared at her, trying to search those eyes of hers and see if there was any chance of changing her mind. I didn't see any – just sadness. A few more moments passed before she offered a weak smile and left my room, closing my door behind her. I didn't move for a little while then I remembered Miley in my closet. I turned and opened the door, finding Miley sat crossed legged, one of my jacket sleeves draped across her head. I'd have smirked at the sight any other time, but no smile could come to my lips.

She went to push herself up off of the floor but instead I walked into the closet, closed the door and sat down on the floor beside her and cried. Her arm was around me in seconds, pulling at my shoulder so that my face rested on her chest. Her hand was on the back of my head, stroking my hair softly and dipping down my spine every so often when an extra heavy sob shook my body. She didn't say a word, just held me as I cried. She kissed the top of my head and I scrunched my hand into a fist against her shirt – she was so perfect.

I don't know how long we sat on the floor of my closet but it was long enough for the tears to be long ago dried and for me to lose feeling in my legs. We still hadn't spoken, simply content to be with each other. Her hands shifted from where they were resting on my shoulders into my hair and pushed it back from my face.

"Lilly..." she said very softly, still gently tucking the same lock of hair behind my ear.

"Mhmm?" I mumbled against her chest, loving the feel of her fingers against my skin.

"...I think... I think you should come stay with me."

I pulled away from her chest to look her in the eyes, to see if she was serious. It was close to black in the closet, the only light coming from under the door but it was enough to see that she meant what she'd said. "...what?"

"Come... come stay with me," she repeated, almost shyly as she took my hand and played with my fingers in her nervousness.

"St-stay with you?" I don't know why I stumbled over the words but even in this darkness, I knew Miley blushed slightly and I felt her tense from increased nerves.

"Yeah... not indefinitely or anything... just you know, to give your mom time... or you know, time for you to get back to my Lilly, my happy girlfriend Lilly..."

I smiled at her and leant across to kiss her cheek causing her to grin. "I'd like that," I told her and entwined our fingers. "But what about your dad..."

"He won't mind," she smiled then grinned as she continued. "I doubt he'll even notice with the sheer size of my house."

"Good point," I laughed softly. "So... you gonna be hiding me then? Your _dirty little secret_?"

Even in this lack of light I could see the shift in Miley's eyes and feel the atmosphere change completely. As she spoke in that deliciously husky voice of hers, she inched closer with every syllable, "My... very... very...very... dirty... little... secret..." and the last word was mumbled against my lips before she kissed me. The instant she did so, my hands were in her hair and pulling her face closer to me to deepen the kiss. I felt so deprived of these lips. I wanted her. I needed her. My tongue slipped into her mouth and a soft moan escaped from Miley causing me to smirk at how she clearly wanted and needed me too. Her hands gripped my hips and pulled me onto her lap, wrapping my legs around her waist as our lips danced ferociously.

She eventually pulled back, reluctantly and breathing hard. She placed her hand on the side of my neck, her thumb rubbing small circles on my skin. "I love you," she breathed. "I love you so fucking much..."

I smiled and kissed her forehead, my lips lingering there for a few moments. "I love you too."

She sighed and a grin broke out on her face. "I love hearing you say that. I get this amazing feeling each time, right in here..." she took my hand and placed it on her abs.

"I love saying it..." I smiled and ran my hand through her tousled brunette locks. "I love you. I love you. I love you..."

"Stop..." she said her eyes closing for a moment before looking up at me, still on her lap with my legs around her waist. I raised my eyebrow... she just said she loved to hear me say it and now she was telling me to stop? "... if you say it again I won't be able to stop myself from ravaging you right here in this closet with your mom downstairs."

"Oh..." was the only noise which escaped my lips. For several moments we stared at each other, our eyes flicking from the other's eyes to their lips and back. Reluctantly I pulled myself to my feet and opened my closet door before helping Miley to her feet. Now, in the light of day, I could see just how dark Miley's eyes had become and knew mine would be just as dark too. I pulled my gaze from hers and headed to my desk.

"What are you doing?" Miley asked as she watched me rooting around for a pen.

"I can hardly ask my mom for permission to stay with you," I said, keeping my voice low in case my mom heard. I found a pen and wrote a quick note and left the paper on my bed.

Miley picked it up and read it out, "'Take all the time you need.' ... don't you think it's a little harsh?" she asked. "She'll worry so much when she finds this; it's like you've run away."

"Aren't I?"

"No. You're staying with me to give your mom some time to come around to the idea of us being together, you're not running away."

"What's the difference?" I shrugged.

"A big one." She said and grabbed the pen from my hand and scribbled a new note which said that I was giving my mom some time and space. That I was going to stay somewhere else for a little while, but that I'd be safe. "See, big difference."

"Whatever," I smiled at her. There was a big difference; the difference between my mom freaking out or leaving me be. I definitely needed the second one. "Come on," I said and grabbed a big duffel bag and began stuffing it with clothes.

[Miley]

"Ready?" I asked her, still speaking quietly. She threw a second bag out of the open window and to the ground below where Romeo was sniffing at the bags. She looked at me from the window, brushing her bangs from her face and nodded. I smiled and took her hand. "You sure you wanna do this? I won't be offended if you say you don't want to."

"I know," she said softly and ran her hand across my cheek. "I'd only end up running away at some point, may as well be to my girlfriend's house."

"Okay," I said and squeezed her hand. I don't think I'd ever tire of hearing her call me her girlfriend. She stepped out onto the window sill and leant out to grab one of the branches of the tree. Her shirt rode up with the stretch and I found myself staring longingly at her stomach. Stop it Miley. You were pretty close to jumping her in the closet; you can't dive on her now when she's dangling out a second storey window!

"Miles?"

"Hmm?" I murmured and brought myself out of my thoughts to find her completely out of the house and stood in the tree, holding out an arm to me. "Sorry." I mumbled and climbed out, taking her outstretched hand as she helped me across the small gap and down to the ground.

"Hey Romeo..." she said and ruffled the Australian Sheppard's fur, rubbing behind his ears as his tail wagged furiously at its owner. I swear he was smiling at her, the dark lips upturned in a canine grin. He licked at her face and she let out a small giggle. I grinned at the two of them and bent to grab one of Lilly's bags and tossed it onto my shoulder. Romeo glared at me. Actually glared. I took a step back, scared the usually soft-demeanoured dog was about to turn on me.

"Lilly..." I elongated her name as my heart beat picked up with fear of the dog's prolonged stare. A low rumble of a growl emanated from within the young dog, the fur on his back coming up and my heart beat even faster.

"Romeo?" She said to the dog and cautiously turned his head to look at her. "What's wrong boy?" I saw instantly his eyes change from that glare to sadness and he nuzzled her chin, letting out a sad whine.

"Oh..." I sighed, placing a hand on my chest. It was sweet and heartbreaking. "Lilly he knows. He knows I'm stealing you away."

"But how could..." she looked into those sad brown eyes of his. "It's gonna be okay boy, I won't be gone too long. Just till mom... it's all gonna be okay puppy." She kissed his forehead and he placed his paw on her thighs as she knelt to him. It was just so sweet. "Don't be mad at Miley, she's helping me..."

This dog scared me. Not because he turned and glared at me again, but because he didn't. His eyes were still sad when he looked at me and slowly padded over and pushed his face into my hand. I stroked him tentatively, looking into those expressive eyes of his. "Lilly... I think you're dog speaks English..."

"That's so weird..." she said with a smile on her face and picking up the other bag. Romeo span at this action and jumped up at her, his paws on her chest as he whined loudly. "No no, shush puppy, shush Romeo, it's okay. I'll come visit you okay? I'll come see you and bring you treats, yeah?" He sat back down and I was yet again amazed at how well he understood what Lilly was telling him. "I promise, okay? I promise I'll come see you. I'll be back at home before you know it," she said and placed another kiss on his nose.

She took my hand firmly in hers, tangling our fingers together and with a final longing look at Romeo, pulled me out of the gate and to my car.

-X-

"Miley..."

"Yeah, love?" I asked as I kept my eyes on the road as we came up to the stop light. I heard her giggle lightly and I smirked knowing that my calling her 'love' had caused such a sweet noise to escape her lips.

"Um... you sure your dad'll be okay with this? I mean, the whole girlfriend coming to stay with you..."

"He'll be fine with it." I reached over to squeeze her thigh as I pulled up behind a Mini Cooper at the stop light. "Don't worry about it."

"But... I broke your heart Miley. Your dad is hardly going to love me for that..."

I turned to her, shifting in my seat to look into her beautiful blue eyes. "You may have broke it..." I said and saw the hurt in those eyes. I took her hands and kissed her fingers. "...but you fixed it again. Technically, Johnny broke my heart. It's all his fault really,"

"He needs punching."

"Ha yes, I do have to agree on that one. I'd be surprised if Mik hasn't already; she hit me pretty damn quick,"

"Yeah she told me about that. Sorry, she's a tad short-tempered," she said and I raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay, she's _really_ short-tempered."

We laughed as the light turned green and I headed towards my house. "Mik's a great friend to you, you know. She's so protective, it's so nice to see it. And I feel honoured that she's showing friendship to me too. You know what my 'friends' are like."

"Mik's awesome. She's my sister," Lilly smiled to herself. "And you don't need those guys, you have me and Mik and Oliver now."

I grinned. "I know. I wish I could go back to my first day at Seaview, and ignore Traci so that she didn't turn me into the 'Queen of the school'... maybe we'd have happened sooner, been friends first or something,"

"Maybe," she said, thinking for a little while. "Actually no."

"No?" I queried as I leant across to push the intercom and ask Maurice to open the gates.

"No." She said surely. "You look hot in your cheerleading outfit."

"Why thank you Miss Lilly but you can't even see me," crackled Maurice's voice from the intercom.

"Oh shit," Lilly said turning red and covering her mouth not just from the previous comment, but because she'd realised she'd sworn too. I felt heat flush my own cheeks.

"You two lovebirds back together?" asked Maurice and I could hear the smile in his voice. We didn't even answer before he continued. "I knew it. I told you she loved you, Miley."

"And I love her," I said and kissed her hand.

"Come on up then," he laughed and the metallic hum of the gates being opened echoed slightly. I had a huge grin on my face as I drove up to the house and parked up in the garage. I noted that Jackson's truck was gone but my dad's car was parked neatly in his usual spot.

I took Lilly's hand as we walked into the house; she held on tight and I knew she was nervous but I squeezed her hand, trying to reassure her. Maurice was in the kitchen as per usual but this time, he wasn't cooking seemingly hundreds of dishes for Claire's dinner party like the last time Lilly was here.

"Miss Lilly, it's good to see you back here," he smiled when he saw our entrance. "I need your expertise," he announced before Lilly could even smile politely back at him. He grabbed a recipe book and flicked through the pages. "I made this last night but I can't get it quite like the photograph shows," he said pointing at the image. "I'm an experienced cook, but I can't for the life of me make this one work."

I watched as Lilly's eyes lit up at the prospect of cooking and she looked over the recipe, running her finger along with the words. "They've done this wrong." She stated, not taking her eyes off of the page. "It's in the wrong order. You need to do this," she pointed at one of the steps, "before this," she pointed at the line before it. "Otherwise it doesn't combine well enough..."

"You want to be a chef when you graduate?" he laughed and looked over the recipe, his face indicating that Lilly was indeed right.

"I don't know what I want to do really. I want to take psychology at university 'cause it's the only thing I'm good at... Oh crap! Psychology!"

It took me a few moments to realise what the problem was. "She made you drop out, didn't she? So you weren't with me."

"Yeah. Oh man. I hope they let me back into the class... Mrs Stevens... Man, I'll kill her if she doesn't let me."

"We'll go to the office first thing tomorrow okay?" I said, trying to reassure her. "You've only missed one class, surely they'll let you back in. It'll be fine."

"Yeah... it was only one class." She said to herself.

I heard the TV in the lounge come on and realised it must be my dad. "Lilly? I'll meet you in my room okay? You remember where it is..."

"Yeah, um... okay," she said and headed towards the stairs.

"Miley..." Maurice elongated my name. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to explain to my dad that Lilly's going to be staying with us for a little while." I told him before taking a deep breath and heading into the other room. I knew he'd understand... but still, he'd never even met Lilly.

[Lilly]

I guessed halfway up the second flight of stairs what Miley was doing. She was asking her dad if it was okay for me to stay here. I hope it was. I knew it was a lot to ask of a man I'd never met but he seemed cool enough. But then... Miley was asking her dad if she could have her girlfriend come live with her for a little while. What dad is _that_ cool? He'll probably make me sleep downstairs on the couch or something. And I would. I really don't want temptation to take a hold of me and let me ruin Miley's sexual experiences further. I promised her and made a vow to myself that our 'sober first time'... it would be perfect. I wasn't going to let that change. If I thought it would be a problem, I'd go stay with Mik or Oliver. Well, the two of them are pretty much together all the time now so it'd end up being the three of us in Mik's house. That's a thought, I should tell Mik I was staying here. Thinking about it, she might be a little pissed at first that I wasn't her first choice to stay with... She'd understand though. She was great. I wonder if she did actually punch Johnny, I smiled at the image. I wish he'd show up just so I could kick his ass for what he did, fucking up my relationship with Miley all cause he was jealous.

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Mik then crept slowly and quietly back down the stairs to eavesdrop on Miley and her dad.

[Miley]

I flopped down on the sofa next to my dad as he watched a football game. The Titans were losing. I watched him for a little while, watching his expressions as the commenter spoke excitedly about what was happening in the game. I wonder what he'd said to Claire. She clearly hadn't moved in but had she taken it well? After all, she did accept the offer in front of all her friends at her dinner party...

"How you holding up bud?" My dad asked, tearing his eyes from the screen to look at me and he poked the receding bruise which Mik had left. He laughed softly as I recoiled from the touch. It didn't hurt, he knew that and I smiled at his playfulness. "Did you sort things out with Lilly?"

I realised he wasn't really asking a question. "How did you know..."

He tilted his head slightly, as if I were missing the obvious and pointed at my mouth. "You're smiling." He said simply. "You haven't done much of that of late. And I plan on punishing this girl just as if she were a boyfriend."

"Dad..." I elongated the word in a pathetic whine. "Don't. It wasn't her fault, not really. I was just telling Lilly this; it's all Johnny's fault for being such a douche."

"I agree with that. Claire's grounded him for three months..." I was just about to ask how he and Claire were doing but he seemed to guess and held up his hand. "We're fine. But we were talking about you and this Lilly girl. Am I going to meet her at some point or do I have to continue imagining what she might look like?"

I grinned. "She's beautiful, dad. She really is." I paused then... "And she's upstairs."

"She's where?" he said in his protective father voice, sitting up straighter and reminding me somewhat of a meerkat with how they stand on their hind legs, surveying the area for predators.

"We just got here, calm down dad." I told him. I pulled my legs up off the floor and tucked them under me as I faced him. "Her mom... she's not like you. She doesn't accept Lilly for how she feels. She screamed and shouted for me to leave, slammed a door in my face when I tried to explain to her this morning... and I was hoping... that Lilly could stay with us for a little while? Just to give her mom some space, you know? You really don't know what her mom's like dad..."

He was silent for a few moments, clearly contemplating it. He ran a hand through his pride and joy, his hair, and sighed. "...I don't want her in your bed." He told me firmly.

"She can stay?" I grinned and wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you, daddy!"

"Don't thank me yet," he said and I pulled out of the hug, raising an eyebrow. "I want to meet this girl. She better not be a trouble maker. Or the female version of Jake Ryan."

"Oh ew. No. I didn't even like Jake that much. She is definitely nothing like Jake."

"Good." He replied, seeming comforted by this. "Does she know about..."

"Yes, I told her about Hannah and she's perfectly fine with it. She was the reason for last night's mess of a concert in case you didn't guess... did the crowd get annoyed?"

"That would be an understatement. You're all over the news today. Every magazine and TV channel is asking who 'Hannah's Mystery Beau' is. My cell phone has been ringing nonstop; they want a makeup concert or their money back. Then I've had the producer on the phone complaining about you singing 'Stay' before we'd even announced we were making another album..."

"I'm sorry..."

"I know. I know why you did it, and if I were in your shoes, I'd have done exactly the same thing. I know how seriously you take Hannah and that you wouldn't disrupt it for something that didn't matter... You must really like this girl, bud."

"I do, dad. I really do. I love her."

He squeezed my hand. "I'm not homophobic so don't think I'm saying this because of that, but leave off with the declarations of love... Father's don't like to think their daughters are dating, never mind are falling in love..."

I grinned and laughed at him. "Okay dad, I'll keep that to myself."

[Lilly]

"Come on; let's go meet this beautiful girl of yours."

I heard Mr Stewart's voice and the sound of him getting up off what I guessed was the sofa. I jumped back from the door I'd been eavesdropping from and bolted up the stairs. I stumbled a few times but managed to get into Miley's room without falling. I sat down on the couch she had in her room and tried desperately to get my breath back from racing up those damn stairs.

I'd regulated my breathing reasonably enough when the door opened and Miley came in, closely followed by her dad. My heart beat frantically in my chest as he surveyed me with a curious eye. I stood and Miley came to my side.

"Dad, this is Lilly... Lilly, my dad."

"It's nice to meet you Sir," I said and offered my hand, it shook slightly with my nerves which only increased when he laughed.

"Sir? My my Miley, you've found one with manners," he had a huge grin on his face as he shook my hand firmly. "All that aside, I'm going to treat you just like I would if you were a boyfriend, so don't be thinking you can pass things off as a 'girlie sleepover'. You are not to sleep in her bed."

"Dad..." Miley whined at my side.

"Miles, he's right. I'm not that irresponsible." I told her. I meant it and she knew that I was practically telling her that I'd end up doing more than just sleeping if we shared her bed.

"Good girl," smiled Mr Stewart approvingly. "I'm not going to make you stay in another room as I allowed Jake to stay in here upon occasion. I wasn't happy about that as you'll know, which is why Maurice and myself, and occasionally Jackson, poke our heads around the door every so often. So don't be thinking that just because I'm not sat on guard watching you both, that you can take advantage."

"I wouldn't do that." I told him honestly and tried not to think of Jake staying over in Miley's room but jealousy bubbled in the pit of my stomach regardless.

"Good." He said, sighing as he looked at me. "I have to say Miley; you were right about her being beautiful."

I blushed at that and lowered my head, allowing my hair to hide my face. I felt Miley's hand slip into mine and her other hand brushed my hair aside. "She's gorgeous..." she said smiling softly at me.

Mr Stewart cleared his throat and we both snapped out of the trace we'd fallen into whilst looking into one another's eyes. "Can I trust you Lilly? Can I trust you not to make my girl cry again? Not to cause her any hurt nor let anyone hurt her? Can you promise me that you'll never allow tears adorn her face again?"

"Only tears of joy." I promised and Miley squeezed my hand. "I swear that I'll never hurt her, and I'll protect her above all else."

He held out his hand and I shook it. "Thank you Lilly. If you go against that, I will chase you out of her life wielding a baseball bat..." His hand tightened around mine slightly and I felt the blood begin to be cut off but I didn't care, I was just praying the baseball bat thing was just a joke. "...I'll be checking in, remember." He said, releasing my hand and leaving the room.

Once he was out of sight, I dared to look at my hand and saw the slight red marks of where his hand had been. They quickly faded. "Protective much?" I laughed, wishing my mom was like that... I suppose she was 'protecting' me in her twisted way.

-X-

[Miley]

The door suddenly flung open and my dad's head poked around. He noted Lilly and I causally watching TV together, merely holding hands innocently. He nodded sharply then tapped his watch.

"Yeah, I know." I told him. School night so it meant I had to be in bed before midnight.

"Make a bed up for her; don't just leave her to fend for herself,"

"I know dad," I smiled and he closed the door with a goodnight to us both. I waited for a few moments so I knew he'd be gone before leaning over and kissing Lilly on her neck, just below her ear. "We could just stuff pillows under a blanket on the floor and he'll think it's you..."

"Mmm..." she lightly moaned and my continued kissing before turning so I could no longer reach that spot. "No Miles, I don't want to sleep in your bed with you."

"He won't know..." I smirked and leaned in again but she stopped me. I felt rejection bite at my heart.

"It's not just him. I told you I don't want to ruin this. I already ruined your first time; I'm not having your second done in haste between your father checking on us... Miley, don't pout..."

I didn't even realise I was pouting but I stopped, realising I was being a little desperate. "Sorry... Is it a crime to want my girlfriend?"

"Is it a crime for me to want it to be perfect?"She responded and her hand went to touch my cheek. "I'm sorry but let me have this, it's all I ask. I only told you I loved you last night... let us take it a tad slower. Or without Maurice and your dad in the house." She added the last bit with a grin.

I knew she was right and I loved how she was planning it all out, wanting everything to be perfect for us. I mock sighed and fell into her lap, my cheek resting on her thigh as I looked towards the TV that we weren't really paying all that much attention to anyway. Her hands were in my hair and lightly pulling her fingers across my scalp. I sighed for real now, in utter contentment.

"Miley..."

"Mhmm?"

"I think we should go to bed now... we do have school." She said and lightly tugged on my shoulder. I sat up and she kissed me softly. "I love you," she whispered and I felt butterflies in my stomach and a warmth wash over me.

"I love you too," I told her and she smiled before standing and pulling the many cushions off of my couch. I raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"I am not sleeping on the floor," she chuckled. I got her a blanket from my closet and tossed her the spare pillows off of my bed which she caught with a grin. "Now now, this isn't a girlie sleepover – no pillow fights,"

"My apologies," I smirked and headed into the bathroom to get changed and such. When I came out, Lilly went in and I climbed into my bed. It felt weird; sleeping in this big bed knowing Lilly was confined to the couch. I felt like such a... well, a horny teenager around her. I appreciated her taking it slow and everything, I really did, but it didn't mean the feelings I got around her would go away.

By the time Lilly came out of the bathroom, which wasn't that long, my eyes were already closing and I realised I was much more tired than I'd realised. My eyes were just shutting as I heard soft feet pad across my floor. I opened my eyes just slightly and Lilly knelt down at the side of my bed. She smiled softly, amused at my sleepiness. She ran a single finger softly down the side of my face and my skin tingled from the touch.

"Goodnight Miles," she whispered and kissed my forehead, the kiss lingering for a few moments before she pulled back. I didn't even hear her get in her own make-shift bed before I had drifted off into a peaceful sleep, a smile plastered across my face in the dark.

**AN: I'll try and not leave it so long next time but University is a bitch. Review please? I'll buy you chocolate... or I'll get Robbie to chase you with a baseball bat!**

**Stay tuned x**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Yes, another very long overdue update, I'm sorry. Also, Johnny isn't in here like I've been promising the past two chapters; it's cause I changed the plot slightly. He'll make an appearence at some point.**

**The title song is Best Is Yet To Come by Hinder (a total babe of a band btw) which hasn't got much to do with this chapter but is it my subtle way of foreshadowing? Or am I teasing you? Who knows? :P**

**Dedicating this chapter to ** catchmex13 **who is just, well, she's crazy but in an utterly awesome way :) **

**Chapter Sixteen:** Best Is Yet To Come

[Lilly]

The light of day woke me up from my slumber and I stretched, my eyes still tight shut as I tried to unloosen my unusually tight muscles.

"Whoa... ow!"

"Wha? Huh? Wha..." Miley jolted awake, sitting up and seeing me sprawled out the floor. She rubbed at her eyes, clearly still half-asleep. "What the hell are you doing on the floor?"

"Oh you know, baking cookies..." I rolled my eyes and pushed myself off of Miley's surprisingly soft carpet and rubbed my elbow where it had turned red from carpet burn. "I was stretching... and fell off." I saw her amusement in her sleepy eyes before the grin broke out on her face. "Hey, shut up! I'm blonde okay, it's _allowed_!"

"Ha, sure it is honey," she said still smirking. I love when she called me stuff like that, it made me feel so special, even though she'd used it in a mock-sarcastic context; it still made me get those butterflies in my stomach.

I glanced at the clock at her bedside. "Ugh, school today. Mind if I get a shower first or do you wanna go before me?"

"We could always..." she trailed off, her voice husky and her eyes sultry as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"Miley. No." I said firmly even though the thought of sharing a shower with this gorgeous girl was so exceedingly tempting. Hormones raced around my body and awoke places which shouldn't be awake at this time in a morning. I knew she'd be able to see the desire in my eyes so I averted my gaze from her, with her hair a beautiful mess from moving in her sleep.

"Sheesh, I know Lilly. Can I not even joke about it?" She said as she swung her long legs out of her bed and padded over to her bathroom, grabbing a towel on her way.

"Miley..." I said, watching her and she came to a stop at the bathroom door, turning to look back at me. "We both know that wasn't a joke..." I half-smiled.

"So? It was a half-joke. Cause on one hand I do want to take it slow with you," she held up one hand, "And I want everything to be so special and just purely amazing...then there's this hand," she held up the other and stared at it as if it were more than just a metaphor. "This one, the hand which just wants to grab your ass and pull you to my body, pressing in delicious ways to delicious places and ravishing you all day and night, never getting out of bed with you, not caring about anyone or anything because I'd have you snuggled into my side and I'd be the luckiest girl in the world, cause you're everything I could ever want..."

My mouth opened and closed. I didn't know what to say. What _could_ I say to that? I wanted what she'd just said, I wanted it so bad, but I looked to the 'reasonable' hand, the one which represented going slow – that's the one I needed to choose cause it'd make the occurrences of the other hand so much more special. It was like in psychology – the id and the superego. The id being the pleasure principle and superego made you think rationally. One hand was the id, the other the superego and then there was me in the middle, wanting to be rational but so damn tempted by the pleasure she offered.

"I want to go slow, Lilly. But it doesn't mean I don't want you any less and I want you so fucking much! But this," she waved the hand which represented her wanting me. "This one can wait, as much as it doesn't want to."

"Miley..."

"Let me finish," she said. I stayed silent and she smiled before continuing. She came over as she spoke, holding out the 'rational' hand. "This hand wants to take you on a date tonight."

I took the outstretched hand with a grin, "A date?"

Miley pulled me to my feet, mimicking my grin. "Yes silly, those things couples do. I want to take you out for dinner and a movie. No Mik. No Oliver. No dad and Claire at the multiplex... just us."

"Okay... I'd like that," I blushed, suddenly overcome with nerves and embarrassment and a childlike urge to run around, happy dancing and chanting 'Miley Stewart asked me out!'

"You're so cute." Miley breathed and kissed my forehead before heading into the bathroom to shower. It took me several minutes before I moved... then I realised that I should have gone in the shower first, cause she was most certainly going to take forever.

-X-

"What do you mean I can't go back into psychology?" I retorted to the woman in the office, my hands tensing as anger bubbled inside of me. "I've missed one class. _One!_ I told you this; I told you it wasn't even my choice to leave! Surely you can just put my name back on the list."

"I'm sorry Miss Truscott but it's practically impossible. The examinations are now all final and paid for; you are not on the list to take the psychology exam. No one can be added onto the course now." She said in her know-it-all voice, which was crackly presumably from years of smoking.

"I don't want to be 'added' to the course, I was already on the course – it's not as if I'm starting a fresh new thing and don't know any of the previous work. Look at my grades. As and Bs. I'm a hard worker and those Bs are infrequent and not even correctly awarded as they should also have been As. I've still been reading my textbook so, technically, I'm further ahead than the rest of the class..."

"Miss Truscott, I understand your agitation but there is nothing I can do. You may want to take it up with the head of department and see if they are willing to pay for the exam out of the department budget-"

"Mrs Stevens is the head of Psychology..." said Miley who was stood at the door behind me. Shit.

"I'll pay out of my own pocket if that's what it comes to. I _need_ to take psychology."

"Like I said, discuss it with the head of department."

I sighed and turned my back on the useless woman and practically stormed out the door. Miley quickly followed me, I didn't know where I was headed, I just needed to walk and de-stress. I felt Miley's hand grab my wrist and work its way into my hand, pushing its way into my fist and interlocking our fingers. She gently rubbed my skin with her thumb and I instantly felt calmer, my anger slowly ebbing away.

"We'll figure it out. Surely Mrs Stevens isn't so against you to thwart your college future... It'll be fine." Miley offered and I smiled at her optimism. I didn't respond, knowing something miraculous would have to happen for Mrs Stevens to let me back in. I lifted Miley's hand to my lips and kissed her knuckles as we walked along the corridor. No one was at school yet, only some staff so I didn't feel scared to show affection to my girlfriend. I knew when students were around, and when they noticed we were in fact together and I was no longer avoiding her... I knew I'd panic and get scared. But I had a good fifteen minutes with her before that. A simple fifteen minutes to walk the corridor holding my girlfriend's hand.

-X-

[Miley]

When people had started coming in, we'd gone our separate ways, not wanting to cause a huge scene straight away. We decided we didn't have to hide our relationship, just be a little more subtle than pressing up against lockers and such. I found myself grinning at the thought of Lilly suddenly pushing me up against the lockers, pinning my hands above my head as she assaulted my lips with her kisses. She'd shift her hips so that our groins would press together as her tongue slipped into my mouth. I'd moan into her mouth and she'd release my hands to hold my face to hers as our lips danced and our tongues battled for dominance. My own hands would snake around her back, rubbing up and down her spine and make her groan as...

"Miss Stewart!"

I jumped from the shout which pulled me out of my daydream. I remembered where I was instantly. English. I was fantasising about my girlfriend in the middle of a discussion of our text 'Peter Pan'. "Sorry..." I muttered and shifted nervously in my seat knowing every pair of eyes was on me.

"Pay attention Miss Stewart, now read the line from '"Wendy,"' please," my teacher ordered.

I glanced down at my open book and found the line he wanted me to read out. ""Wendy,' Peter Pan continued in a voice that no woman has ever yet been able to resist, 'Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys.'"

A few people in the class chuckled. Yes, very funny, the lesbian just said a line which says that girls are better than boys – oh har har, real mature. "Now what does that line tells us about Peter's attitude towards women?" queried my teacher, still looking right at me lest I day dream again.

"On the surface, I guess you could say he highly values them above men," I said and saw the disappointed look on his face that I hadn't told him what he wanted to hear. I wasn't finished though. "However, if you take the whole novel in context, we know that Peter doesn't see women as individuals, he sees them as mothers, as storytellers. I suppose you could say that Peter is sexist, 'Me Tarzan, you Jane' kind of thing as only him and the Lost Boys go out and have adventures while Wendy stays at home and looks after them as her own, reducing her to this maternal figure and not the love interest so many people interpret the relationship as in film adaptations."

"Yes, well done. See here class, Miley has got it spot on..." he continued to rant on about the novel but I looked out of the window. I could see my car from here and noted how Traci had purposely parked in a different bay instead of her usual one next to mine. Did she think I was contagious or something? I laughed to myself. Cheerleading was going to be fun... actually; I could do with talking to the girls about it. They've been avoiding me but I haven't officially been kicked off the team, and if I were, they'd struggle without my choreography.

-X-

"What the fuck are you doing? Don't talk to me; I can't have my social status brought down for talking to you." Traci spat at me, glancing around to see if anyone was watching us.

"Traci. Be reasonable. I just want to ask about practise for goodness sake," I said, sighing at her overreaction.

"Practise? You? Don't make me laugh. You're no longer on the team. I'm captain now."

"Don't make _me_ laugh." I told her. "You couldn't come up with a new set if it slapped you in the face and fucked you sideways."

"I can!" she protested, whining. I crossed my arms and just looked at her. "I have a set in mind already."

"No, you have one of my old ones in your mind which you'll repeat." I saw in her eyes what I said was true. I knew I was being harsh on her but still... "You need me. You know that. They'll be scouts at the game watching and you, with your straight Fs, you need them to notice you. I used to like you, you know, and I always gave you the best of the choreography so that if there ever was a scout, they'd see you and give you a scholarship. Try and do that on your own. You need me Traci; you need me to be captain."

She was silent for a few moments. "So?" she said trying to act nonchalant. She opened her locker to put her text book in and as she did so, several papers fell to the ground. She immediately gasped and began picking them up, pushing away my hands as I tried to help her. I managed to grab one of the pages and turned it over, seeing the photograph printed on it.

"You?" I exclaimed, standing, clutching the photo of Lilly and I kissing. "You and Johnny? You _both_ did this? To be Queen of the school? Is that it?"

"Of course!" She said and snatched the photo back and shoved them in her locker. "I've been dying to take your place!"

"By doing this?" I pointed at the photos. "You didn't just take my place; you pretty much destroyed my life, Traci."

"At least I'm not a raving lesbian!" she shot at me and I resisted the urge to slap her. People in the corridor were watching now, even some staff were peering out of their rooms.

"Traci. Grow up. This is _high school_ it's not a movie; you don't go about things like this. You wanted my popularity, I get that. I've always known that. It isn't my fault people didn't really like you. But hey, I, as your friend, got people to like you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have gotten so popular, but you, you wouldn't be 'second in command' if it weren't for me. If you'd have asked, I could have done something to give you an edge, I'd have dropped out of things so that you'd be the one with more votes – I didn't really care about winning things, I just wanted friends Traci. You aren't one of them."

"Yeah well..." she stumbled, realising all the eyes that were on her now.

"Why Johnny? It's just like Lilly and I, the whole cheerleader skater thing... it makes no sense."

"He's a guy. And I'm not in a 'relationship' with him. I fucked him, sure, but at least he's a guy."

"And sex without relationships are so highly looked upon," I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up!" she said, truly panicking now. I sighed, realising she wasn't just gonna let me be captain. Oh well, her loss, I thought as I turned and began walking away, deciding to be the bigger person and just leave the argument. "That's right, go away back to your whore!"

I didn't expect such a loud noise. I really didn't. I didn't even expect to do it. I just reacted. And my reaction hit Traci right in the face which knocked her back into the lockers. The sound of the connection of my fist with her face echoed in my ears whilst the noise of her hitting the lockers echoed in the corridor.

"Grow up." I repeated, looking down at her as she crouched on the floor holding her nose. I reached down and took a hold of her forearm and pulled her to her feet. "Just grow up Traci."

And I turned around and walked away. I wasn't pleased with myself. I'd hit someone, that wasn't something to be proud of. But maybe, just maybe, she'd realise she wasn't so untouchable and her ego would come down a few notches. Maybe then she'd grow up.

-X-

[Lilly]

Mik practically attacked me when I got to geography. I'd been ignoring everyone all day so when I suddenly had someone jump on my back, I yelled out much to the amusement of Mik who still hung around my neck and dangled down my back.

"Mik, get off," I said and tried to shrug her off but she held on tight, giggling in my ear. I jumped up and down but she still wouldn't shift. "Mik, get off or I'll tell Oliver you don't like his only chest hair."

"No!" she exclaimed and quickly let go. "He loves that damn thing, don't tell him that."

I grinned. "You and him still together?"

"Don't sound so surprised," she smirked and I rolled my eyes. "Okay fine, I know we're on and off again a lot but still... he isn't bugging me _yet_." We laughed at that. "Oh! Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Miley punched Traci!" she said almost happily and my jaw dropped. Miley had actually hit someone. "I was on my way to French when everyone was crowding up the corridor, the two of them were arguing. I only got there to see Traci call you a whore and Miley clocked her one before I even had the chance to. It was one good fucking punch I tell you! Knocked her off her feet."

"Whoa... she said she _wanted_ to punch Johnny for what he did; now she's _actually_ punching Traci?" I couldn't understand it. Miley wasn't a violent person, pretty much a pacifist even if she did have thoughts about punching dickheads.

"S'okay," shrugged Mik with a grin, "I punch Johnny pretty much whenever I see him. His punching is covered."

"Don't get expelled again Mik," I warned her and took her arm and pulled her into geography and took our seats. We were early and there were only two other people in the room at the other side of the classroom. Both guys looked over into my direction and nudged one another before making a V with their fingers and sticking their tongue in between while laughing. I shot them the middle finger. Mik turned to see why I flipped them off and saw what they were doing; I grabbed her elbow before she could get out of her seat to hit them. "Leave it Mik."

"Immature little fucks!" she yelled at them before turning her back on them. "If you don't want me to hit them, change topic so it'll get my mind off of it."

"Miley wants to take me on a date tonight," I said, my voice low so only Mik would hear. "But I um... remember my old job? ...I kind of work there again,"

"You what?" she exclaimed. "How could you take that job back? He was a fucking perv!"

"Language Gomez," Miss Linley said firmly as she came in carrying textbooks. "If I hear it again, you'll have yet another detention."

Mik apologised and I continued as Miss Linley said she'd be right back and left the room again. "I needed a new skateboard so I didn't have to ride with my mom to school. It was the only way I could think of. And I remembered that I have a shift tonight... but I don't want to cancel on Miley either. She doesn't know I have my job back,"

"Take the night off or ring in sick or something," she offered. "No, actually, just quit. You can't work for him again Lilly,"

"I can't quit. I can't even have a night off," I sighed. "I got an advance on my pay so that I could buy the skateboard right away... I can't not work until I've done a month's work. His conditions for the advance was for me to work every alternate night and I _agreed_. I'm stuck,"

"Why can't you just have the easy life, Lilly?" she sighed, "I'll work your shift for you. No, don't argue. I'll do it. You're going out with Miley tonight but you need to tell her you're working again. You can't hide it from her,"

"Thank you Mik!" I leant across the gap of the two desks and hugged her just as Miss Linley returned, scowling at us. I released Mik and sat back upright in my seat. "I owe you,"

"Yes, you do," she said and opened her text book, shaking her head slightly to shift her dark bangs out of her eyes. "You owe me _big_,"

-X-

The bell went at the end of geography and at the door; I told Mik I'd meet her at lunch next period. She smiled and nodded before heading off to her next lesson. I had a free period now since I no longer had Psychology. I needed to talk to Mrs Stevens... I just didn't want her to humiliate me in front of the class as I begged to be let back in. I sighed. Her office was just past the psychology classroom, I could go leave her a note to say I need to talk to her.

I headed around the corridor, spotting Miley coming around the corridor at the other end near the psychology classroom. She walked slowly watching her feet, her long hair hanging in front of her face. My heart lurched; what was wrong?

I sped up my pace until I was jogging up to her. "Miles? What's wrong?" I asked and reached out to her. Before my hand could touch her forearm, she glanced up, saw that it was me and flung her arms around my neck, her face buried in the crook of her elbow as she cried. My hands were immediately on her back, holding her as soft sobs shook her body. "Miley, what's the matter?"

She pulled back, tears shimmering unshed in her beautiful blue eyes and wet streaks down her cheeks. She glanced around, noticing that people were looking. She took my hand and pulled me a little further down the corridor and into Mrs Steven's office. She sat down on one of the chairs and I pulled another up to her, our knees touching as I took both her hands in mine.

"I hit her Lilly," she muttered. "I hit Traci,"

"I know," I said softly. "Mik told me. Is that what's got you so upset?"

"I've never hit anyone before, Lilly. Only Jackson, but he doesn't count. I feel so bad,"

"Miley, don't get so upset about it. We're teenagers, it's what we do – we lash out,"

"No, I know it's hardly irregular in this school. I mean, you hit that guy at my party... and Johnny when we were in the club's basement and he called you gay... I just, I've never hit someone with real anger before. I guess it's just my overactive conscience making me feel guilty. I didn't even mean too; I was walking away from her but then she insulted you and I saw red... I hit her so hard,"

"Come here," I said and pulled my girl close to me. "It's okay. I would have done the same if she said it about you,"

"I know... I'm just overacting I guess. But I have detention all next week for hitting Traci on school property. Principle Luger said he's not suspending me simply because of cheerleading... I didn't tell him Traci's not letting me on the team. She and Johnny worked together – Johnny wanted revenge, I guess, and Traci just wanted my place as Queen..."

"Johnny _and_ Traci?" I said as everything seemed to fall into place. "I knew Johnny wasn't smart enough to do all that shit on his own. Miley, look at me," I lifted her face to look into her sad eyes. "Don't get upset by it. She deserved it. Just because you hit someone once doesn't mean you're suddenly going to beat up anyone who disagrees with you," I said trying to make a joke of it, pulling my hand through her hair gently. "You're just such a sensitive person, that's all... you're just fragile and precious."

"You're perfect," she said with a soft smile. "You can make me feel so much better so easily," she placed a brief kiss on my lips before standing. "I better get to class before I'm really late."

"Yeah," I said standing as well. "I'll meet you for lunch, 'kay?"

"Mhmm," she agreed as she left the office. I smiled before scribbling a note for Mrs Stevens and leaving it on her desk. Now what to do to kill some time before lunch.

-X-

[Miley]

Today sucked. The whole Traci thing sucked. Psychology sucked. Lunch sucked. Ugh, just everything. Lilly, Mik, Oliver and I walked into the cafeteria just for it to fall silent as everyone stared at us. At Lilly and I. We tried to ignore them and got our food, found a table and tried to have normal conversation. We knew that all the murmurs were about us, that the abnormal quietness of the cafeteria was due to our presence. Lilly squeezed my hand under the table and I realised how tense I'd become and saw that she felt anxious too. Oliver caught my attention and mouthed 'fuck their opinion' while Mik babbled on about something none of us were actually listening too.

I was just glad when the day ended and Lilly met me at my locker with a smile. I smiled back; she was the highlight of my day, of my life. She even insisted on carrying my books even though she had her own to carry.

"Not too bad today then," she said as she climbed into the passenger seat, balancing the pile of books on her lap while she put her seatbelt on. "I can't recall hearing any insults at us; it was pretty much quiet mumblings... and occasional gestures,"

"Yeah, not too bad 'cept the whole Traci thing," I said as I started the engine and reversed out of the parking bay.

"At least we have tonight to look forward to," she smiled and I nodded, smiling back.

"I really want tonight to be amazing, just us, being a proper couple."

"If I'm with you, I have no doubt that it will be anything less than amazing,"

"You are too sweet for your own good," I told her with a grin and squeezing her thigh.

-X-

"You nearly ready Lilly?" I called as I put the final touches to my hair in the bathroom mirror. We'd gotten changed in separate rooms; me having the bathroom and Lilly using the closet. I wanted it to be perfect; I was going to make it like a proper date and go downstairs before seeing her, knocking on the front door for her to answer and me to be amazed at her beauty. She complained that she didn't have any fancy clothes to wear, that she didn't bring any with her... and no matter how many times I told her that jeans and a t-shirt was completely fine, she wouldn't listen. And that's why she's in my closet- I'd told her she could borrow whatever the hell she liked as long as it wasn't my Armani or anything from the Hannah closet.

"Two minutes tops," she shouted back at me. I smirked at the nervousness bubbling in my stomach. I told her I'd meet her at the front door and I heard the grin on her lips as she called an 'okay' back to me.

I practically raced down the stairs, slipping only once but managing to stay upright with no broken bones. I grabbed my car keys and went into the garage, starting up the car which purred beautifully. Within moments I was parked outside the steps leading to my front door. I glanced in the mirror and saw the excitement I felt reflected back at me from my eyes. I had to admit, as vain as it was, I looked pretty damn good. I'd curled my hair beyond it usual natural wave and pinned sections of it back off of my face, my blue eyes accentuated with the makeup I'd skilfully applied and my cheekbones looked impressive in this light too. I'd chosen a low cut top that covered me up just enough not to be considered hooker-ish. I smirked as I readjusted my bra to give myself a better cleavage. I chuckled slightly at my action.

I saw movement at my door and climbed out, smoothing my skirt and ascending the stairs. I knocked even though I could see Lilly's blurred figure through the glass. She opened the door and my mouth dropped. Her gorgeous blonde hair now had a gentle wave within its locks and she wore a loose fitting white top and paired it with my teal coloured skirt which I'd actually forgotten I owned.

"You should close your mouth," smiled Lilly with a blush on her cheeks as she gently put her fingers under my chin and made a big deal out of closing my mouth for me. I couldn't help it. She looked beyond amazing. I ran my eyes over her once again and couldn't help but stare at those legs of hers, those legs which all too often were hidden behind jeans or long board shorts... they needed to be out more often so that I can gaze upon them.

"You look so beautiful Lilly," I said softly, in awe of the unbelievably beautiful girl before me. She blushed more and bit her lip to hide nervous laughter. "You really do,"

"Not as beautiful as you," she said her eyes boring into my own. I felt a tensing in the pit of my stomach and an instinctual need to press her up against the door and kiss her as hard as I could. I resisted it though, as hard as it was, choosing to take her arm and lead her to my car, opening the door for her before heading to my own side and driving away from the house.

-X-

[Lilly]

I barely noticed where we were going because my eyes were on her, on wonderful amazing beautiful her. How could I deserve such a beautiful human being? I couldn't be this lucky to have her love me, could I? It seemed I was, I believed her when she said she loved me and she said it a lot. I loved her too. An unbelievable amount. I sighed contently as I leaned back in my seat but suddenly we were at a stop. I glanced around and I died a little inside.

"H-here?" I stammered, pointing over my shoulder at the building she'd parked in front of. She nodded with a grin. "Really?"

"Yeah... it's real good here," she said, an eyebrow raised at my odd behaviour. I closed my eyes, turning to the building and hoping when I opened them that the building wouldn't be there. No such luck. There, it its huge elegantly lit letters were the words 'La Maisonette'... the place I fucking worked. "What's wrong Lilly?"

Do I tell her? But it'll ruin the whole evening. But can I really go in there knowing that Mik is working my shift for me? Would I be noticed? Pervy Boss would be in the kitchen as would Mik... they wouldn't see us.

"No, it's just that this is the place I used to work," I admitted and I saw realisation cross her face. "Hey, it's fine," I said before she could apologise. "Come on, let's not let it ruin our evening."

-X-

The food was delicious which I was surprised at considering I knew Mik was helping in the kitchen. We spent most of the meal holding hands across the table, glad that Miley had booked one of the tables at the back where no one could stare at us. I panicked every time the kitchen door opened, or when one of the waiters came past lest someone recognised me and told my Pervy Boss. I'd conveniently been in the bathroom when our order was taken, and had 'accidently' dropped something each time a course was put in front of us. Miley clearly noticed what I was doing as she leant over at the end of desert and asked why I was being so edgy. I sighed and admitted everything; that I took my job back to buy my skateboard, that I was now in debt to my perv of a boss, that Mik was working my shift, everything.

Surprisingly, she took it pretty well. She wasn't upset or angry, just a little disheartened that I never told her earlier so we could have gone somewhere else without my being preoccupied with remaining undiscovered. She took my hand and squeezed it lightly telling me that I never have to hide anything from her. I smiled and told her I wouldn't.

"So..." she said, her voice low and husky as she leant right in. Her hands were on my thighs, her thumbs lightly tracing circles on the flesh exposed from the skirt I was wearing. Her breath was warm on my neck and she removed one hand to push my hair away so she could whisper in my ear. I literally trembled under her touch, unable to prevent myself from being turned on by the brunette. "... Reckon you can get us a discount?"

She pulled back with a huge smirk, clearly amused at herself. I just leant back in my seat, my arms crossed and pretending to be upset with her. "You think you're so funny, don't you?" I chastised.

"I'm pretty funny," she said smugly and mimicked my crossed arms. We sat mock-glaring at one another for a few moments before neither of us could take it any longer and burst out laughing. Miley got up and paid the bill, much to my annoyance – she wouldn't even let me go halves with her. "Come on," she grinned, grabbing my elbow and dragging me from my seat.

-X-

[Miley]

I brought the car to a stop in the multiplex parking lot and grabbed Lilly's wrist as she started to get out. She turned to me with her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at my stopping her. I smiled softly, not saying a word as I slowly placed my hand on the back of her head and drew her to my lips. I kissed her slowly and meaningfully before drawing back to see Lilly's eyes still closed. I smiled to myself and felt a small blush touch my cheeks.

"Wow..." she breathed, her eyes flickering open to look at me and I felt the blush deepen slightly.

"Sorry, I just couldn't wait much longer," I admitted and a blush touched her own cheeks.

We entered the cinema hand in hand, Lilly insisting that she at least buy popcorn seeing as I wasn't letting her pay for the tickets. I finally agreed and let her buy the huge bucket of popcorn which she gladly carried so she could munch on it while we waited in the queue, playfully turning the bucket away from me when I tried to grab some.

During the movie I felt Lilly's arm snake around my shoulders and I shuffled into her, smiling as her thumb gently stroked the skin of my shoulder. My smile grew and the blush returned to my face as I felt her kiss into my hair before leaning her own head upon mine. I bit my lip trying not to grin as wide as I knew I would, taking the hand of my beautiful, sweet, kind and utterly adorable girlfriend and entwining our fingers.

-X-

"Tonight was completely amazing Miles," Lilly said for the fifteenth time. We were both laid in our separate beds staring into the dark bedroom. My dad had just checked in on us and I crept out of bed to place a goodnight kiss on the blonde's lips. "I love you Miley," she said, her voice a bare whisper in the night as she gently touched my face. I haven't smiled as much in my whole life than I have when I've been with Lilly.

"I love you too Lilly,"

**AN: Review? Please please please? **

**I feel this story has lost its original um... essence? I can't think of the word but yeah, I feel it isn't there anymore and its changed into a big rambling really. I'm not sure how many chapters are left actually, I need to bring it to some kind of end at some point but I've never been any good at ending things... but yeah, please review before you leave? **

**Stay tuned x**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: Sorry, I know it's been forever. You have CatchMex13 to thank for me getting my arse in gear and updating this. So here you are, it's not all that long but here you are. Enjoy x**

**Chapter Seventeen: **Better Than Revenge

[Lilly]

Another week passed, two more psychology lessons missed and there was still very little progress to people's acceptance of Miley and I's relationship. However, school was... I can't even think of the correct term to describe it. Different? Maybe. Well, it was different but it wasn't quite as simple as that. The students were different, hell, the _teachers_ were different too. They were treating us differently; and not just us as in Miley and I but all of the skaters and all of the cheerleaders. It was animalistic almost, as if they could sense something brewing between the two rival groups. Everyone was trying to avoid us, trying to be seen with someone who wasn't associated with one group or the other... I would say it was pathetic if it weren't completely understandable.

After Miley and Traci's 'fight', which I still didn't really consider to be a fight considering Miley only threw one punch albeit an extremely good one, the cheerleaders were on the warpath. Especially Amber and of course, Ashley just followed whatever Amber did. Then there was Mik, forever standing up for me who threatened punches at anyone who glanced at my joined hands with Miley. Somehow, we'd managed to escape Amber and the rest of them for since the 'fight'... that was until lunch on Thursday when we turned a corner and crashed head on into the whole posse.

"Watch where you're going lezzers," Amber said with a scowl, her lip turned up in disgust which, with some practice, Ashley managed to copy. The other cheerleaders formed some kind of battle formation which I had to stifle a smirk at; this was not the time for humour.

"Mik, leave it," I said and held my best friend back before each cheerleader was sporting at least a black eye or broken nose. "They're not worth it."

"These cheerbitches aren't worth the air they breathe," said Toby from behind me, the majority of the skaters had accepted Miley and I's relationship, their friendship with me unwavering. We currently had about eight of the others with us, deciding that safety in numbers would be the best bet as of late. Only a couple had left the group, choosing to side with Johnny, creating a division between the skaters. As if there wasn't enough of a war going on in the hierarchy, even our own side had problems.

"We're worth more than you two are," chirruped one of the girls, I didn't see who it was.

"Would you like to do well at the Endgame, Clara? Any of you? Is there any one of you who would happily toss the Endgame show away for such a trivial drama?" asked Miley, speaking up for the first time. I swear I saw one of the girls jump lest Miley struck out. I wonder where Traci was, I would love to see the damage on that smug face of hers.

"Who says we're throwing it away?" demanded Amber, her face an angry indifference as she pretended to check her nails, trying to seem bored... it didn't work.

"Traci cannot choreograph to save her life, you know that. She can remember them perfectly but she can't create something new. There will be scouts at the game, and I know just about half of you are dependent on being seen because you're not going to pass this year on your grades alone... I can help you. You elected me your captain because you thought I was the best and I promise I will help you. I can make sure that each one of you will be noticed and that the routine will be brilliant," Miley took a small step forward to show she was not being hostile. "Trust me, if you stay with Traci, you'll be copying old routines that scouts have seen several times before. Do not ruin your chances because one cheerleader has a problem with popularity."

They were all silent for several moments, clearly contemplating it but waiting for Amber's approval. Traci may have been second in command to Miley but with Miley off the team, Amber was second in command and it's a position I didn't think she would give up too easily.

I felt someone shift behind me and turned to find Harry staring at Ashley, a blush on his cheeks. I knew that Harry was practically in love with Ashley since the first day of high school. He had always hated that the cheerleaders and skaters couldn't mix, he'd seen my relationship as an opportunity to eradicate the separation between the two... I hoped that it could lead to that, the school would be so much better off. I smiled as I saw Ashley's own cheeks blush under his shy gaze.

"Prove you can do it and we'll consider it," Amber said finally, her voice sceptical but I heard a hint of hope in her voice.

"Thank you." Miley sighed. "Give me a little time to work out a full half-time routine then I'll show you, okay? If you like it, we can all contribute for the other two performances."

"Whatever," she replied with a flick of her wrist, signalling for the cheerleaders to follow her along the corridor. They all walked past, barely any eye contact between us and them except for Harry and Ashley who each shyly watched the other. Ashley, her focus elsewhere, ended up tripping over her own feet and earned a nasty comment from Amber, her supposed best friend.

"You've got her falling head over heels for you," I said softly with a smile to Harry.

The boy flushed even redder, the colour red enough to rival that of a tomato. "You really think so?" he asked, unbelievably hopeful. He ran a hand through his reasonably long blonde hair; it was even lighter than my own, almost platinum blonde – bleached by the sun, his skin more tan than the rest of us. "I really hope we can fix all this," he said forlorn.

"Me too," I agreed. The hierarchy had always needed attention; I guess all it needed was someone brave enough to publicly befriend someone of a rival group. Maybe Miley and I would be the change that was needed and it would turn out for the better rather than adding to the hate. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

There had been several onlookers in the corridor, clearly hoping another fight would break out. I have to admit, I did think it was a possibility but this girl, the one whose hand felt so soft and perfect in mine, rectified it. The one on my right however was still hoping someone would come back and say something so she could lash out... I swear, for her next birthday, I'm buying her a punch bag.

-x-

Even with things as they were after Miley's suggestion to her old team, there was still a tension filling the corridors. Teachers were watching Miley in particular and I felt her shrink under their gaze; they thought she was one to hit people now, but she so wasn't. She was still upset about it and she had a small bruise on her knuckles which I smirked at, after kissing it better of course... only with practice could you hit someone without damaging yourself too.

"Miles..." I ventured, wondering if I should say what I was thinking earlier. It'd been on my mind all day and now as I walked towards her car, hand in hand, I debated on whether I should say it.

"Yeah, love?" she asked, rooting in her bag for her car keys. I smiled at the name she casually called me before I grew nervous again. "What is it, Lilly?"

"I think I should go home... you know... for a bit..." I said, my hand fidgeting with my hair and then the zip of my jacket in the pauses.

"And you're nervous of saying this why..." she smiled as she unlocked the car and released my hand so she could climb in. I jogged round the other side and jumped in too. "You're allowed to want to go home Lilly. I didn't ask for you to permanently move in, you can leave without me thinking you're leaving _me_. The only thing I'm worried about is that your mom still won't be okay with it, I don't want you going home only to get upset again... but if that happens, my door and my arms are always open,"

"How are you so brilliant?" I chuckled softly and leant over to hug my girlfriend. "I don't know if I should just waltz back in to, like, stay, or anything... just to test the waters, you know?"

"Yeah, I understand Lilly, you don't have to explain yourself to me," she smiled and pulled out of the parking spot. "Do you want me to take you now?"

"If you don't mind... I mean, it is at the other side of town to your house,"

"Lilly, would I offer if I minded?" She laughed with a raised eyebrow, indicating to turn towards my street.

[Miley]

I can't say I wasn't worried about her going home because I was; I didn't want her mother to reduce her to tears again. We'd both cried way too much in this relationship... but I wanted her and her mom to be able to tolerate each other, to like each other again. And I selfishly wanted her mother to like me again; she did before she knew I was dating her daughter, why can't we go back to that? I don't want to have to fear my girlfriend's mother.

But regardless, I encouraged her to go home, she needed this. She needed her mother.

"Lilly?"

"Hmm?" she responded, grabbing her bag from the footwell as I pulled up outside her house.

"Ring me if anything happens, I'll be here in a flash. Don't go running off or anything,"

She smiled with a touch of a blush on her cheeks. "I'll always run to you anyway..."

I chuckled softly, knowing she could see how happy those simple words made me from my eyes. "And you say I'm the sweet one?" She grinned at me and I grinned back before becoming serious again. "Be careful, won't you? I love you."

"I will, I love you too," she squeezed my hand before heading to her door. I noted her mother's car in the drive and Lilly fished out the spare key from within a plant pot by the door. I'd have to tell her that it isn't the safest place to keep a key considering how stereotypical a place it was. I smiled, laughing softly at it before driving slowly forward, listening for any shouting as I turned around at the end of the road and headed back the way I came. She'd be okay... and if not, she has me to run too.

The drive home was lonely and throwing my bag down on my bed, I realised just how empty the room felt without her. Damn it Miley, how attached are you to Lilly? I had to laugh at myself. Who cares? I love her; I can miss her if I want.

"Miley?"

"Yeah, dad?" I called back, pulling off my jacket and tossing it next to my bag as he came into the room.

"Hey, we still have this whole Hannah running off stage thing to sort out. Are you wanting to do another club gig or do you wanna to do something else and just reimburse the people you ran off on?"

-x-

[Lilly]

I hesitated before putting the key in the lock. Did I really want to go in? What if she still couldn't accept it, couldn't accept me for who I was? I hadn't exactly been away that long, just over a week, but I felt as if I should see how she was, whether or not she'd come to terms with it... I surely had worried her in my absence despite my note telling her I would be safe.

I took a deep breath; I had to face it sooner or later. I pushed the key in and turned it, opening the door and walking in. I certainly wasn't expecting what I was greeted with. The house was a mess; there was dust on the surfaces, dirty laundry left at the bottom of the stairs. My sneakers from the last night I was here still haphazardly strewn on the floor, untouched. My mother always had this house spotless, she vacuumed every day, she dusted as many times as she could and she would get on at me for leaving my shoes in the hall. It was as if someone else had been living here, most definitely not my mother.

"Hello?" I said into the house. My mother's car was on the drive but how could she sit in the house knowing it was such a mess?

"Lilly?" I heard back and directed my gaze to the sofa to see my mother sit up from her lying position, spotting me by the door. "Oh thank god, it is you!" she proclaimed before running towards me and hugging me hard. "I've been so worried about you; I've had the worst thoughts going through my mind."

"Well as you can see, I'm fine," I told her, not returning the hug which pulled me to my tiptoes in its tightness. "Although you might be bruising a few ribs right now."

"Sorry," she said releasing me reluctantly. "I've just been so worried."

"You said," I said, unable of thinking of what else to say to the woman before me. The house was a mess and my mother certainly hadn't been putting the same care into herself as she usually did either. Her hair was lank and clearly hadn't been brushed and she had not a scrap of makeup on – something I barely ever saw. She looked so tired, bags under her eyes... she even looked thinner, a loss of weight from worrying. Had she even been to work? Seeing her like this, no matter the current distance between us over this situation, I couldn't help but feel I should apologise knowing I had caused this. "Sorry. I've been safe and I've been to school, I should have called or something so you didn't worry quite as much..."

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have driven you out," she said surprising me. "I still can't quite handle it Lilly and I'm sorry about that. I know I was in the wrong with how I acted and I promise I'll try harder... I just don't know if I'll ever be completely okay with this,"

"Oh..." was the only sound I made. I didn't really know what else to say. There was an awkward silence between us as I looked anywhere but at my mother, tears burning in the corners of my eyes. Do not cry, not again. In my peripheral vision, I saw my mom fidgeting, not knowing where to begin or where to finish, after all, my relationship with her rested on this very moment.

"I'm trying, I really am. I even spoke to Marie at work, her eldest is g-," she paused, unable to say the word. "Like you. She said she had trouble at first but now she's helping him house hunt with his boyfriend. I'll get there Lilly, I'll try to. It's just hard right now, I know you can't understand my reasons... but you're my daughter, my little girl."

"I'm not a little girl any more; I'm nineteen at the end of the year."

"You'll always be my little girl," she said, choking on tears and pulling me into another hug. "Please stay here tonight, at least one night. I miss my little girl."

"Okay, I'll stay tonight," I told her which made her hug me tighter. "I have work later though."

-x-

I thought about how my mom had reacted to my return as I cooked the specials for tonight, Frank, my boss, was watching me as he waited for one of the other chefs to finish an order. Would my mom really get there? Even if it took some time or would she always be against it? I guess no one knew and only time would tell. I told myself that I would have to be careful, take things slow; I couldn't exactly start bringing Miley into the house, into my room and expect my mom to tolerate it so soon. These things needed to be gradual.

"Nice Lilly," came Frank's voice from behind, his breath hot on my already hot neck in the steaming kitchen. "Very nice..." he continued. To anyone else it would appear he was complimenting my work, the food in front of me. But his hand on my ass told a different story.

I turned and stepped back from him, "Once I've finished the shifts I owe you for my advance, I'm out of here."

"There's still plenty of time," he said, his voice low. The sound of a hectic kitchen meant that no one else would hear our conversation and he knew this. "I hear you're playing for the other team nowadays. I'd very happily show you what you're missing."

"You disgust me," I told him. "If you ever tried to 'show me what I'm missing', that pathetic dick of yours will be sliced off and served up in your own restaurant, understand?"

"We'll see," he said and headed to the other side of the kitchen. I just had to stick this out for two more weeks then I was free.

-x-

[Miley]

"Oh hi Miley," greeted Maurice as I came downstairs. He was cleaning the counters, presumably after making something delicious. Just as I thought that, I smelt what was cooking in the oven; whatever it was, it did smell delicious and I couldn't wait to try it.

"Hey Maurice, what's cooking? It smells _gorgeous_," I told him, practically salivating as I elongated the word and took a seat on one of the stools.

"It's chilli con carne," he said as he tossed the cloth he was using into the sink.

"It doesn't smell like you usually make it," I noted and continued to sniff the air, the familiar and unfamiliar aromas had my stomach rumbling. I hadn't eaten since lunch at school and that had been almost six hours ago.

"It's a recipe Lilly gave me, one of her own creation," he said proudly. "You should have her come eat with us; I have some fries in garlic oil and a bunch of rice to go with it.

"Can't, she's working then she's staying at her mom's tonight," I told him. He'd known she was speaking with her mother since I came home alone. "She text me around four saying she was gonna stay over, her mother had missed her and she's wanting to try and re-establish their relationship."

"Why do you sound so nonchalant? Surely this is a good thing," he queried, drying his hands on a towel.

"I don't know, I guess I just miss having her around all the time. I mean, if she's at her mom's, can I go see her there or is it gonna be awkward? Her mom's trying to accept _her_, but do I come in to the equation anywhere?"

"Miley, you need to give the two of them some time; it's hard on them both. Let them strengthen their own relationship before you go barging in, it'll only make it harder on her mom," he told me, taking my hand and squeezing it. "I know you love her and she loves you, but she needs acceptance from her mother. She won't forget about you,"

"Thanks, I needed that," I smiled.

"No problem," he said returning the smile. "Plus, you have time together at school and you have the weekends to see one another."

I nodded and the both of us fell into a comfortable silence. Maurice moved around the kitchen, cleaning various counters and taking plates out one of the top cupboards and grabbing some cutlery. "Oh, I forgot to mention, your father won't be joining us tonight, he's out with Claire and probably won't be back till later tomorrow."

"Oh... ew," I laughed and he smirked back. "How're my dad and Claire? Do you know? You know, after the whole Johnny thing."

"As far as I know, they're a little rocky but he isn't expecting anything bad to happen, merely waiting for things to blow over,"

"Ah..." I breathed; unsettled knowing it was my entire fault. How could I have been so stupid to not have noticed someone taking a photo of Lilly and I? How could I have not seen the signs beforehand? "I guess it's hard to have a relationship when your kids are practically arch-enemies."

"It's high school Miley," Maurice sighed. "You'll look back when you're my age and you'll see how things like this make you a stronger person. They're never as bad as they seem at the time, trust me."

As I mulled over what Maurice had said, I found myself rudely interrupted by a shirtless Jackson running into the room, skidding around the corner. A white shirt was in one hand while the other was holding tissue to his nose.

"?"

"Woah, say it again but much slower," Maurice said with a small chuckle, taking the shirt from Jackson's hand.

"Nose bleed," Jackson explained taking his hand from his nose as proof. The tissue was practically soaked with his blood, the blood still running profusely from his nostrils which were caked in the red liquid.

"Oh ew, it's gushing!" I cried and jumped back.

"I know!" Jackson almost shouted, close to tears. "I have a date tonight!"

"And this is your only white shirt, yes?" Maurice surmised as he opened the shirt to find large drips of blood all down the front. "I can offer you a white shirt of my own but the size may be a little tight on you,"

"You should learn to not stick your finger so far up your nose, you're not gonna be able to scratch your non-existent brain ya know," I smirked and Jackson shot me a look.

"Now is not the time Miles," he said. "I have a date with Tina, you know, unbelievably-attractive-and-smart Tina, been-in-love-with-her-since-the-day-I-saw-her Tina, can't-believe-she-would-ever-go-on-a-date-with-me Tina."

"Wow, this is a big deal," I said, regretting the teasing as I knew how he felt about this girl. "Would you like some help with a new outfit?" I offered to which he nodded vigorously, spots of blood escaping much to Maurice's annoyance due to the clean counters and much to my disgust as I jumped back yet again. Maurice handed him some fresh tissue which Jackson took as we both headed up the stairs to get him a new outfit.

-x-

I love the sound the water makes as I dive in, slicing through the water with such ease. I swam a little under the water, my stomach gently brushing the tiled bottom before I arced and burst through the surface, shaking the hair from my face.

I took another deep breath before plunging myself back under, swimming down to the bottom again, my ears thumping with the water pressure. I loved to swim during the night; it was much nicer to see the shimmering moon above rather than the sun beating down. It was more peaceful. I could hear the sounds of a few crickets muffled by the water. With a strong push of my feet on the tiles, I surfaced again and released what was left of the breath I was holding.

I'd decided to have a couple of hours swimming before going to bed; I needed to distract myself from missing Lilly. My phone was on one of the loungers, the sound turned right up just in case she text me. I'd had no word from her since she told me about her staying with her mother. That was, I checked the time on the wall clock by the parasols, six hours ago. It was ten now. I think she doesn't finish work until eleven, so I guess if she were going to text me, it would be then. I sighed and returned to my swimming, doing lengths as quick as I could. I needed more distraction.

-x-

[Lilly]

"Night Steve," I said as I passed him in the small hall leading to the back door. I grabbed my jacket off one of the hooks, tucked my board under my arm and pushed open the door. The night air was chilly and I quickly put on my jacket, lifting the hood and tucking my hair around my neck to keep it out my eyes.

My phone was in my pocket and as I set off on my board down the quiet streets, I pulled it out and sent a text to Miley that I'd finished work and was heading home to bed.

_Hey, me sleepy... I miss you xxx_

I smiled, imagining the sleepy girl who had sent me the replying text. I'd worked longer than I expected too, especially on a school night but the extra hour and a half I did tonight meant I had an hour and a half less that I owed Frank. If they wanted me to work longer, I would cause it meant I'd be free sooner.

"I miss you too," I said softly before typing the words. I added that I was sorry if she fell asleep before I got home or if I fell asleep myself right away when I got to my room.

_Me tired and I wants snuggles :( xxx_

I chuckled softly at that, I could imagine how she said the words so well that I could hear her voice in my mind and see that pout of hers. I grinned, she was so damn adorable. Her cuteness was accentuated a million times over when she was tired, her usual grammar and such things were forgotten with her 'wants' and 'me' instead of 'I'm'.

_Wish I could but it'd take me forever to get to you then back home. I'll snuggle you tomorrow, promise. Meet me in the viewing gallery in the morning? Xxx_

_Mhm, you better. I'ma go sleep now... night, love you xxx_

_Sweet dreams,_ I typed. _I love you too xxx _And with that, I shoved my phone in my jacket pocket, zipping it safely away before pushing harder on my foot to propel me faster. I just really needed my bed right now. Well, preferably I needed Miley in my bed. That would be the perfect thing to come home to. Hopefully, one day, that'll be every night.

-x-

I yawned and stretched when my alarm went off and it took me a few moments to realise I was in my own room, in my own bed and not on Miley's couch. I stretched again and heard the crack of my spine, refreshing my body before I swung my legs out of bed and headed straight for the shower.

I'd had a little bit of a lie in, my mom had insisted that she give me a lift to school so I could have an extra half hour in bed after my late night. She didn't approve of them keeping me late, but there wasn't much we could do about it; I just wanted to get what I owed over and done with.

So I got to school just before the first bell rang and I went inside, after my mom had asked me to come back home... I'd told her that I'd think about it and come back later. I'd enjoyed being home, to have that comfort of my own things again. I'm not saying it wasn't awkward because it was; this morning my mom and I spoke about anything and everything but what needed to be spoken about. I munched on toast discussing something about how Romeo needed a new collar cause he'd somehow managed to chew the one he had. My mother started talking about the stock market when I knew that neither of us had a clue how that worked. But it was conversation, we were talking and there were no raised voices or tears which meant that it was good, however awkward it might have been. Romeo had greeted me with many a lick and cuddle too, never leaving my side while I was in the house. He even refused to leave my room last night and so slept beside me on the bed; a rare luxury for him.

I climbed the stairs to the viewing gallery, I had about ten minutes or so before I had to go to my first class. The room was empty when I got there, Miley must be running late to school for some reason. After a few moments of just shifting my weight on my feet, I spotted the canvas I'd noticed when I was last in here. The one that Mik hadn't done. The one which was just the right size to hide someone behind. The one that was positioned in just the right place to take a photo of Miley and me.

I rushed over to it, positioning myself behind as if I were hiding then peered around the corner. Yes. This is the exact spot Johnny or Traci had been to be able to get that photo... how could I have just realised that? Why didn't I come over for a closer inspection like I usually would with a new piece? I _knew_ why, because I was thinking about Miley not art.

-x-

The bell rang for first break and I still hadn't seen Miley. No one had actually and she wasn't answering her phone. I caught up with Mik and Oliver who were holding hands as they came out of their shared math class. I'll never know why Oliver had practically sawdust for brains in everything but math, he was practically a genius. We wandered out the front doors together and towards an unoccupied patch of grass. It was far too warm today to sit inside.

"Is that Miley?" Mik asked, squinting into the sun.

I directed my gaze and saw a girl slowly getting out of the passenger side of a black BMW just outside the school gate. The glare from the sun made it hard to see anything but shapes but it certainly looked like it. "I think so," I said, still squinting at the approaching figure. The sun then went behind one of the only clouds in the sky and allowed us all to focus on the said figure. It was Miley.

"Jesus, has she even slept?" Mik blurted and I had to agree, she was pale and her hair was more dishevelled than her usual wave. It took her longer than it should for her to spot us and come towards us.

"Are you okay?" I ventured, wondering if something had happened.

"Tired," she mumbled and practically collapsed to the floor, sitting cross-legged with her eyes half shut. "Fell asleep by the pool last night," she explained as we all sat down too. "Maurice had to carry me to bed,"

"Why've you come today, you look completely knackered," Mik said. "You should still be in bed."

"I didn't want to, it's Friday, thought I may as well make a bit of effort," she said before smiling and adding, "Plus, didn't wanna spoil my spotless attendance record."

"Nerd," I smirked and lightly punched her arm. She whined dramatically with a matching pout before the two of us laughed. "Come here," I smiled and turned my body towards her, my arms out. She smiled and turned so her back was to me and with a little shuffle back, she was leaning against my chest, her shoulder the perfect level for me to rest my chin on. I wrapped my arms around her waist and I could feel her relax in my embrace, I wouldn't be surprised if she fell asleep.

"You guys doing anything tomorrow night?" she asked with a nod to Mik and Oliver.

"Unless he's got some sort of surprise planned, which I doubt," Mik added with a nudge in Oliver's side. "Then no, we're free."

"Hey, I'm unemployed, I can't always afford to take you nice places," he said, starting out almost angrily with retaliation but ending with his voice sad. He clearly wished he could take Mik to all the places she wanted to go. "And I'm saving up for something,"

"You are? What?" Mik questioned, obviously interested now.

"I can't tell you," he said with a satisfied smirk. I grabbed Mik's arm before she could tickle or bully the answer out of him. "Anyway," he continued, "Is something happening tomorrow?"

"Well," Miley said with an obvious grin in her voice. "There's a Hannah thing I have some tickets for..."

"Oh my god!" Oliver cried and jumped up. A few people looked over to this boy who was dancing excitedly.

"Sit down!" Mik ordered and grabbed his arm, harshly pulling him back down. She gave him a hard look and he stifled his excitement somewhat.

"We'll be there." He said surely.

The four of us all fell into our own quiet conversations as the sun beat down on us. Miley had been quite for a while and I wiggled her a little to test if she was still awake. Nothing. I smiled, glancing at her stomach and saw it rise and fall deeply. Her shirt had ridden up slightly and there was a good two inches or so of exposed skin above her jeans. The skin was so tan and smooth and _toned_. God, she had an amazing stomach. I felt myself becoming entranced by the sun-kissed flesh and Mik's sudden laugh made me jump which in turn startled Miley awake.

"Sorry," I said softly into her ear, tightening my embrace as I felt her heart racing from the surprise. "Blame Mik,"

"Okay..." she said sleepily, readjusting herself so she was laid upon her side, her face still on my chest. "I blame her..."

I placed a soft kiss on her forehead, just being able to reach in this position. "You smell like chlorine," I told her, the scent filling my senses. It smelt so nice plus it was mixed with her natural scent, something which reminded me of long autumn days and rainstorms; it was intoxicating.

"Sorry, no time to shower this morning," she mumbled, obviously mistaking my comment as a negative.

"No," I responded with a smile into her chlorine-scented hair. "I like the smell of chlorine."

"That's okay then," she said dreamily and wrapped her left arm around my waist. She pushed me gently so I angled myself further back, allowing her to snuggle up to my chest. "You promised we'd snuggle."

-x-

**AN: I really like the smell of chlorine...**

**Please review and thank you if you guys are still reading this after so long of no updates. **

**I think there will be about five more chapters before the end if things go to plan. I have the final chapter already done, I just have to fill in the middle, tie up loose ends and maybe throw in a couple of punches here and there. There's only a few events I have in mind, the rest will require some inspiration. **

**Stay tuned x**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: I am so sorry that this has taken so long to update, I have no excuse other than laziness really and I do apologise for that. You can thank Catchmex13 again for getting my butt to update. I also apologise that this is a little bit of a filler chapter; regardless, enjoy x**

**Dedicated to Catchmex13 **

**Chapter Eighteen **We R Who We R**:**

[Miley]

Maurice knocked on my door about ten the next morning; he no longer came in to wake me since neither of us had really gotten over the flashing incident that fateful morning. But I was already wide awake and I was currently sprawled out on my floor with many notebooks spread out in front of me, a pen in my hand. The notebooks were full of my old choreography, ones we hadn't attempted and ones I had seen other schools use; some were illustrated with my poorly drawn sketches and others with photographs. On the paper in front of me, I was designing new routines; writing notes and sketching images. This was to be the half-time routine if the cheerleaders accepted my help; they needed it, they needed me and I wasn't going to let them down like Traci would. I'd already spent the last three or so hours doing this and I now had three quarters of the routine down and what seemed like hundreds of crumpled paper around me.

Another half hour passed before there was another rap at the door.

"I'm awake, Maurice," I said towards the still closed door, my eyes still on the papers before me. I'd only intended for this routine to be a draft, something for me to work on over the next few days but it was looking pretty good so far. It only needed a few tweaks here and there and it could probably be deemed one of my best yet; each member – specifically those who really needed the scholarships – would most definitely be noticed.

"Do I look like Maurice?" came a voice and I looked up to see Lilly at the now open door, leaning against the frame casually with a smirk as she observed me.

"Lilly!" I yelled almost involuntarily with my surprise. I was on my feet in seconds and she was in my arms in only a few more. "You never said you were coming," I hugged her tight and she chuckled in my ear at the action, her own arms holding me tight. I pulled back, my hands on her shoulders to keep her still as I checked her over. "You're in one piece," I observed. "She hasn't killed you yet,"

She smiled. "Nope, she's very quiet still but she's trying. Two nights and still no tears or fighting. I'll admit it was a little awkward when I told her where I was going this morning but she never said anything negative,"

"That's excellent," I told her and pulled her into another hug. I hoped beyond hope that Lilly and her mother would continue progressing like this until it wasn't even a problem anymore. "How did you get here?" I asked, wondering if Lilly had skateboarded all the way here.

"Mik and Oliver were going to the mall so they gave me a ride," she explained. "Oliver requires a new outfit for tonight," she added with a smirk. I couldn't hide my amusement; Oliver was well and truly obsessed with Hannah Montana, it was slightly awkward having to hide the fact that I was Hannah Montana from him... but amusing too.

"Just don't let him in my dressing room," I told her, only half-joking.

"Please, you really think Mik would let him in _anyone's_ dressing room?" she laughed before directing her gaze onto the mess of my bedroom floor. "How about you take a break from that? Maurice says you haven't had breakfast yet, I'll make you some,"

And with that, Lilly took me by the hand and led me downstairs and into the kitchen where I was shocked to find a large brown white and grey dappled Australian Sheppard lying on the tiled floor having his belly scratched by Maurice. "What's Romeo doing here?" I asked as I jogged over to greet the adorable dog, scratching his ears just how he liked as he attempted to lick me.

"Mom hasn't walked him in a while so I thought he could come with me today, he can wander around your grounds... if that's okay?" she asked. Maurice and I both nodded, still fussing over the beautiful dog. Lilly automatically began getting bowls and ingredients out of cupboards, clearly having already okayed it with Maurice previously. Soon, she had a batch of cinnamon buns rising under a cloth to double in size, and apple turnovers were baking in the oven giving off delicious aromas. Maurice was currently making his famous croissants. I was impressed and so was Maurice that Lilly could make all these things without once looking in a recipe book. Maurice asked her about this and she simply told him that her recipes weren't in any books because they were her own adaptations of classic recipes.

"How long..." I moaned, elongating the words as I was practically salivated, watching the two of them cooking.

Lilly smirked and glanced at the time. "Another seven minutes for the turnovers then they'll need to cool," she said. "The cinnamon rolls and croissants have to rise before they can be cooked,"

"Why does breakfast have to take so long?" I muttered as my stomach rumbled.

Lilly sighed though was clearly amused. "Where's the frying pan?" she asked and within about three minutes, she was flipping pancakes. Soon I had a small stack on a plate before me, drizzled with maple syrup, topped with fresh fruit with an "Impatient," comment served on the side. I groaned with satisfaction the second my forkful of food touched my tongue. "Want to be left alone?" Lilly asked smirking. I shook my head, blushing but I couldn't help the continued sounds escaping my mouth at the deliciousness.

"What's in these?" I asked, my mouth full and pointing at the pancakes. These were definitely not the norm.

"Cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, chocolate chips and I used buttermilk," she said as she began making yet another dish. Maurice was watching her intently, learning everything she did as if his life depended on it. "I also beat the egg whites separately which makes them light," she said more to Maurice who was keen to learn all of Lilly's techniques. "At Christmas, I drop cloves and a cinnamon stick in the milk over night so when I use it the next morning, the pancakes taste like Christmas," she smiled.

"Lilly, you have to write me a recipe book," Maurice told her, still watching what she was doing as she made banana bread. "My cooking has never been second to anyone's before; I can learn so much from you,"

"Just have her cook here while you watch," I said with my mouth still full; any excuse to have Lilly here more often.

Jackson soon joined us when the goodies were all baked and out of the oven. It wasn't strictly breakfast due to the time but it was so delicious that nobody cared. Jackson and I both groaned with each mouthful as Maurice and Lilly were in a discussion about various cooking things. I wasn't really listening; I was more interested in the deliciousness that was in my mouth. She was gonna end up making me fat if she kept this up.

"It's always been my dream to have my own bistro or something somewhere," I heard Maurice say as he placed his blueberry muffins on a tray on the counter. "I've never had the confidence to do it though,"

"Your cooking is amazing Maurice," Lilly responded as she took one of his muffins, breaking off a chuck before placing it in her mouth. "I think you'd do brilliantly if you had your own place; if you ever take the plunge and go for it, I'll happily work with you," she smiled and took another bite, making an approving noise at the taste.

"I'll hold you to that; you'd make me a very rich man," he laughed and began making everyone a drink to go with their delicious food.

Time flew as we all ate and then Lilly, Romeo and I went outside and strolled around the grounds, all with full stomachs. "My dad'll hire you if he tastes your food," I laughed and Lilly blushed before admitting it would be miles better than her current job. "Want me to buy you out of the contract or something?" I offered. It wasn't the first time I'd said this to her, she refused each time on principle – she couldn't allow herself to take the easy way out and she didn't like me spending money on her. "I could get Hannah to make a big deal and have him shut down," I offered but again she shook her head, saying she didn't have long to work off anyway.

"He only allowed me to have tonight off because I told him I'd work double tomorrow," she said as we sat down not too far from the tennis court.

"You shouldn't have to, he's taking advantage of your good nature," I told her but she shook off the comment, saying she'd gotten herself into it and she would see it out to the end. "Well, if you won't let me sort that problem out, at least let me buy you back into psychology,"

"You're not spending your money on that Miley," she said as she lay on the ground, looking up at the clouds. "I'll sort that too; Mrs D'Italia may hate me but she can't just keep avoiding me, she'll put me on the course again, I know it." I knew Lilly wasn't as sure as she sounded; she just wanted to keep that hope in her mind. I said no more about it and lay next to her, my head on her chest. It was so comfortable to lie like this, hearing her heart beating steadily, feeling her chest rise and fall with each breath, to feel her arm securely around me. Romeo was chasing something; probably a bee or something and I watched with a smile as he darted around, bouncing here and there in his attempt to catch it. I didn't know I'd fallen asleep till Lilly woke me saying we should get ready for the Hannah gig.

-x-

[Lilly]

I was in the car park stood by Miley's car and making sure no one got into the space next to it. The parking lot was packed and more and more cars were arriving; the lights almost blinding in the pitch black of the night. I had many a bad word thrown my way for blocking off a space but I just ignored them or threw a few back. It wasn't too long before Mik finally showed up and pulled into the space I'd saved for her. She thanked me as she got out of the car, telling me of how she'd been stuck in the queue for about twenty minutes just trying to get into the lot itself. Oliver climbed out of the passenger door, practically shaking with excitement and I brought my hand up to my mouth to stop the laughter that threatened to burst from my lips.

He wore a white t-shirt that was a little small on him... emblazoned with Hannah Montana's face. I managed to tear my eyes from it to share a look with Mik. She smirked too and shrugged, "I didn't have the heart to tell him why it's so weird for him to wear it..." she said in a whisper.

"I'm glad you're not sporting a similar shirt," I said with a smile, an approving nod at her outfit surprisingly PG outfit. "We'll have to tell him sometime," I continued, still highly amused

"Let's at least let him enjoy tonight," she said, nodding to him as he adjusted his hair using the side-mirror of the car. "You don't think he'll have a crush on Miley when he finds out, do you?"

"I doubt it; but even if he did, he'd have both of us to answer to," I laughed and Mik smirked, knowing it was true. "Hey Oliver, you finished preening yet?"

He nodded and jogged over to where Mik and I were stood, putting his arm around his girlfriend. It caused the blazer he wore to open wider than before, revealing his shirt even more. I swallowed the snigger that was desperately trying to escape. "Nice shirt Oliver," I told him.

"I know!" he grinned, pleased I'd noticed and began shrugging off his blazer. "Look at the back," he said and he turned around. In big black letters was 'I love Hannah Montana' and I could barely hold back the laughter now, my eyes watering with the effort of keeping my mouth closed. Mik nudged him and he put his blazer back on, took her hand and led her towards the queue of people waiting to get inside the club. Music could already be heard thumping from inside the building. I wiped my eyes of the tears and hoped my makeup hadn't smudged.

Calming myself, I followed my two best friends to the queue and took a hold of Mik's other hand, tugging her and subsequently Oliver towards the front of the queue. I stopped just short of the front and pulled out two wristbands from my pocket, giving one each to them, my own already around my wrist. Oliver's brow was furrowed in confusion. "VIP tickets," I told him and his grin grew wider than I'd ever seen it. We continued towards the front where we showed the bouncer the purple bands around our wrists. He nodded and let us in silently, much to the annoyance of those waiting impatiently in the queue.

The music was loud and I could feel the beats echoing inside my ribcage, thumping my whole body into excitement; it was unavoidable, it made you impatient for the show to start. The place was already crowded and we had to manoeuvre ourselves over to the bar, creating a human chain so we wouldn't lose someone. Mik went over to the bar and ordered our drinks.

"Where's Miley?" asked Oliver over the music, as if he'd only just realised she was missing.

"She's already here somewhere," I said and smiled to myself for not having to lie about that. "I'll go find her when Mik gets back," I told him, again telling the truth. He asked no questions, bouncing on his feet in time with the music, clearly more excited than anyone else here to see Hannah.

Mik returned not too long after, holding three glasses of coke with a sad look in her eye. "My fake ID didn't work. He said he'd call the cops if I tried again," she admitted and handed us our drinks. I wasn't too bothered about a lack of alcohol though I did make a mental note to confiscate Mik's fake ID so she didn't get herself arrested. I took a deep gulp of my drink, the crowd making the room a little stuffy and more were still pouring in. I soon finished my drink and handed Oliver my empty glass as I went to find Miley.

It wouldn't take much finding but Oliver didn't know that. I knew exactly where she was and headed straight for the door near the fire exit. I pulled an ID from under my shirt and showed it to the large guy guarding it; he checked it and then allowed me inside. I then put the card back underneath my shirt so Oliver couldn't see that I had VIP backstage access. I followed the short corridor before knocking on the door with 'Hannah Montana' written on a small plaque. I heard her voice from within and went inside.

"Hey," I said and she returned the greeting, applying makeup in a large mirror. "If you see Oliver while you're out there; don't laugh at his shirt,"

"Why?" she questioned and turned in her seat to face me. I walked over and leant against the dressing table.

"It's got your face on it," I smirked and she laughed. She wrapped her arms around my waist, her face pressing against my stomach in due to her seated position. "I don't know how you do it," I breathed as I stroked her hair softly; it was still brunette as she had yet to put on the blonde wig. "There are so many people out there,"

"I'm sort of used to it," she mumbled against my stomach. "Plus, half the time, I pretend there's no one there and it's just me on the stage,"

We fell into silence for a few moments, simply holding one another before there was a knock at the door saying she had ten minutes. She sighed, reluctantly pulling away from me to put on her wig and tug off the yellow t-shirt she'd been wearing. I couldn't see them but I knew my eyes had grown wide and my pupils had most likely dilated as much as humanly possible as I took in the glorious sight of a shirtless Miley Stewart. She looked utterly amazing; the toned stomach, the visible muscles which moved beautifully as she selected her outfit off one of the rails, the black bra accentuating her already full chest. I don't know how I managed to keep myself stationary when my mind wanted nothing more than to go over there and assault her entire body with kisses amongst other things...

She turned with a smirk at my sharp intake of breath when her jeans dropped to the ground. She raised an eyebrow at me and if I wasn't so engrossed with the sight and remaining sane, I would have thrown something at her for that cocky grin.

"See something you like?" she asked huskily with a smile on her lips as she continued to merely stand there, the leather hot pants and revealing top in her hands. I couldn't respond, I merely reacted as I took in those tan thighs, beautiful long legs and the black lacey underwear. This time, though not knowing how, I managed to keep the noises of approval contained. She continued to smirk as she pulled on the clothes, causing a very audible involuntary whine from me. Her outfit however was still very revealing so I couldn't be too upset but still; Miley in her underwear was something I would much rather see. "Can I get a kiss for good luck?" she asked, her voice a mocking innocent tone. I didn't need asking twice and within seconds, I had my arms around her and was kissing her fiercely. Her own arms looped around my neck, holding me tight to her. Tongue danced across my lips and I felt her smile; I mimicked the action upon her and she released a small groan, it was my turn to smile. I repeated the action, getting a groan from the girl yet again.

We only broke apart when another knock, much louder than the first, sounded at the door announcing that Hannah had two minutes. We were both breathing heavily and it took us a few seconds before we found the power to move. We were soon out of the door, having to part ways as Miley needed to head to the stage. I kissed her again, unable to speak but she knew I was wishing her luck. She smirked, clearly proud of herself before she skipped out of sight. I headed back out the way I came and quickly found Mik and Oliver at the front of the stage.

I gently tapped Mik's shoulder and she smiled at me. I didn't bother announcing my arrival to Oliver; he was way too excited for the show. There was perhaps thirty seconds before the room fell to black, only a few dim lights on the stage, the music dramatic and filling everyone with suspense. Mere moments of this passed but it felt like an age. Then the music changed, lights flashed various colours as dancers somersaulted onto the stage.

"Hot and dangerous," came the first words of the track and the entire club seemed to explode with sound. "If you're one of us, then roll with us," she continued but she was still nowhere to be seen. The stage continued to flash with the lights, the dancers were moving all around on the stage but she still couldn't be seen.

Then as the first chorus hit, we saw her. She came down from the ceiling on a swing-like contraption, still managing to sing and dance on the small piece of wood on which she stood. Everyone was screaming and singing along with the lyrics and yelling 'We r who we r' louder than the rest. The atmosphere was completely electric and I couldn't help but feel both impressed and proud that I was dating the girl on the stage.

Seven songs later and the club fell back into darkness. When the lights returned, the stage was empty and the music was again that incessant thumping beat. Oliver was practically shaking and Mik rolled her eyes at him though even she would admit that it was quite a show. Oliver began his usual retelling of the whole thing and I soon felt arms around my waist. I didn't need to turn to see who it was as I felt a soft kiss on my neck; Miley.

"There you are!" claimed Oliver, spotting her hugging me from behind

"What?" she asked him, her voice loud in my ear as she had to speak over the music. "I've been here all along,"

"Have you?" he questioned, his eyes showing he didn't quite believe it but he couldn't be sure either way. Mik, Miley and I all nodded and his confusion increased before he shrugged; "I guess I just had all my attention on Hannah." We nodded again and smirked as Mik nudged him.

We spent the rest of the intermission with Miley's arms around me, holding me tightly as the four of us attempted conversation over the loud music. Miley's arms were too soon loosening as she had to leave to go back on stage; she pressed a kiss into my neck and her hands lingered on my hips as much as they could as she retreated into the crowd.

"Where's Miley going?" asked Oliver, his arm casually around Mik's shoulder who was absently caressing that shaven star.

"Bathroom," I lied.

"But the show's about to come back on," he said slightly horrified that she had chosen now of all times to go to the restrooms.

"Don't worry," I told him, glancing briefly to Mik. "She won't miss it,"

And a minute or so later, the music blared and the lights flashed as the show begun again. Take It Off was the opening song and throughout the track, several winks and meaningful looks were cast my way; my face was flush, my skin tingling as it burned as hotter than fire. I think Oliver thought they were directed at him when he almost fainted, only coming round after several sharp slaps from Mik.

-X-

We'd long since left the club; Mik and Oliver were probably 'getting jiggy with it' (as Oliver had so eloquently put it as we were leaving) right about now... but that's really not something I want in my mind at this particular moment. A hand was fisted in my hair, another was on my thigh and delicious lips were on mine.

"Mmm..." came her groan as I whipped my tongue over her bottom lip, the sound seemed to be magnified within the car and I couldn't help but smile. She felt my smile and I received a sharp slap on my thigh which I made a noise in response to which meant 'hey, what was that for?' but it fell on deaf ears as the only interest now was to kiss, not stopping for anything. I didn't mind of course, after all, I did initiate it.

We finally broke apart, breathing heavily and our eyes black; knowing that if we continued at this rate, we'd end up in the backseat, and as tempting as that was, we were still waiting for the right moment – in the back of the car at Silver Point was not that moment.

"I love you," Miley said, still quite breathless and she took a hold of my hand, squeezing it.

"I love you too," I said, the glow of the silver moon shining in Miley's dark eyes.

**AN: Please review :) Stay tuned x**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: SORRY! I know it's been forever! This has been in my folder for ages, I've been trying to get it up to 6000 words but to no avail so it's going to be posted in two parts. Again, you can thank Catchmex13 for making me stop being _as_ lazy with my updating. Girlfriends have a lot of persuasive power you know... it's called, pouting. Anyway, enjoy :)**

**Chapter Nineteen: **I Want You (part one)

[Lilly]

I awoke the following Monday morning to find that I couldn't feel my leg; it was completely numb. I groggily sat up, panicking a little as to why my leg had randomly lost feeling. And that's when I spotted the five year old Australian Sheppard fast asleep and using my leg as some sort of pillow. I couldn't help but smile at the sight, especially as his nose twitched and his paws moved in his dreams.

"Puppy..." I said softly. "Come on, wakey wakey." There was no response from the slumbering canine. "Romeo," I repeated a little louder and attempted to wriggle my leg from under him. Instead, he rolled over with his eyes still closed into a position which now rendered my entire leg unusable. "Oi, fat lump,"

He opened his sleepy eyes slowly in my direction, barely lifting his head as if it were too much effort. I smiled at his expression; it was as if he were glaring at me for both waking and insulting him. "You know you're not fat," I laughed and pushed his side to roll him over some more so I could escape. "Ouch," I muttered as I tried to stand and instead staggered to one side due to my numb leg. I grabbed a hold of my dressing table to stop myself from falling over, using it to help me walk into the bathroom where I turned on the shower just as the painful tingling began in my limb.

Within the hour, I was fully dressed and dry with my school bag packed and ready as I grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. There was a car horn from outside and by poking my head around a corner to look through the living room window; I could spot a red Audi parked on the road. My mom was already at work; the two hadn't seen one another since their argument through the mail box before I left home and yet despite my mom being absent it appeared Miley still wouldn't come into the house.

I dropped my apple in the bag, scratched Romeo's ears as I said goodbye to him and then headed out the door and into Miley's car. My bag took its usual place in the foot-well and my hand took its just as usual place on Miley's thigh as I leant in for a kiss. Her lips were soft against mine and I smiled at her when we pulled apart.

"Morning," I said softly in the confines of the car, her fruity shampoo in the air. Her hair was extra wavy today, curled expertly yet effortlessly as it draped down her shoulders. She sported a red plaid shirt, unbuttoned to show a well fitting white tank top which gave an ample yet modest view of her cleavage. Surprisingly my mind wasn't on Miley's cleavage but more on the plaid shirt which made my image of her as a real country girl much more plausible in my mind. The thought caused my smile to grow.

"Morning to you too," came her response, mimicking my smile and added a squeeze of my hand. "Fancy skipping school today to make out in my car?"

"Tempting," I chuckled, leaning across to kiss her cheek as she put the car in gear. It was indeed tempting but we both knew we had to go to school again; I was going to attempt to corner Mrs Stevens about psychology again. "Are you talking to Amber and the others today?" I asked a few moments later as we turned out of my street.

"I'm going to try, you know how Amber is when anyone who isn't a cheerleader or a jock tries to talk to her," Miley responded, concentrating on a particularly busy junction. "She needs me, they all do; she needs to listen,"

"I just can't comprehend how they so easily abandoned you for Traci as head cheerleader; it makes no sense to me,"

"Traci's manipulative, sly and sneaky; we both know that. She'll have easily managed to worm her way through – publicly outing our relationship was all she needed to completely throw me off the pedestal I was thrust upon," she said as we finally turned the corner; her tongue poking out the side of her mouth in her concentration as she continued to watch the busy road. "It was almost _too_ easy for her."

"And now you have to 'worm your way' back in," I stated rather than questioned, flicking a loose lock of blonde hair back into place.

"I have to do it in the honest and trustworthy way unlike Traci," Miley said and I detected a slight hint of venom in her voice. As much as Miley seemed to embody the honest, trustworthy way; she still held a grudge against Traci (not that I blame her) and I wondered if she would ever be able to truly forgive _or_ forget it. I had progressed into a state of not caring; sure, I hated what Traci and Johnny did to us but there wasn't anything we could really do about it and things seemed to have worked out okay in the long run – my mom's coming around, most of the skaters are on our side, the cheerleaders are potentially willing to make a truce behind Traci's back... things were going reasonably well I thought before regretting it, hoping I hadn't just jinxed it.

We continued the drive discussing various assignments we had due this week and an overview of how amazing the Hannah gig had been. I thought it went brilliantly and fully enjoyed every second... although I am biased in my view considering I'm dating the stunningly attractive superstar that is Hannah Montana. Miley also expressed she was pleased with how it had gone as it had satiated the fans she had irritated when she ran out after me what seemed like forever ago. It had also led to more publicity in the potential release of a new album and apparently she had several interviews lined up with the press. The rumours about Hannah's secret beau however were still circulating but from what we'd heard and seen on a quick search through Google; no one suspected Hannah's declarations were aimed at a girl or indeed myself. We were safe on that account.

Finally we arrived at school, parked up and walked hand in hand into the school. After a quick kiss at my locker we parted ways for our separate classes, text books heavy in our bags. Time slowed without Miley by my side but it was soon second period; after dropping a textbook in my locker and collecting another, I headed towards my next class where I knew I would be entertained by Mik.

I reached the classroom on time and was looking forward to seeing my best friend who I hadn't seen since the weekend. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, something rarely seen with Mik who preferred her hair down. The effect was staggering; something so simple as tying her hair back had altered her entire appearance. Those yellow Ray Bans of hers were discarded on the desk by her elbow which supported her head as the other hand caressed that shaven star over and over. She seemed to stare absently at her desk, not seeing anything other than the thoughts she was so obviously lost in.

I dropped down into my seat and prodded the purple-shirted skater beside me. She jumped with a small gasp, startled out of her thoughts. I barely had chance to ask her 'what's up?' before she shuffled her chair _and_ desk closer and told me.

"Oliver said he can't go to the Endgame dance," she stated with her eyes glistening, her voice so full of emotion it was difficult to detect just one.

I hesitated before answering; a little afraid I would say the wrong thing which would result in either an angry Mik or a crying Mik. In the next five seconds or so, my mind went through hundreds of different responses and scenarios, thinking back in attempt to recall any conversation about school dances and Endgame. "You think these dances are stupid though," I offered, hoping I'd chosen wisely.

"I do; I think they're a waste of school resources, utterly cliché and merely a way for girls to buy pretty dresses that match their boyfriend's tuxedo and..." she trailed off and I could tell there were many more reasons; many of which she'd told me before whenever there was a school dance. One year she wrote a letter to the school board to try and get them cancelled all together.

"Then what's the problem?" I asked with my brows furrowed in confusion.

"I want to waste school resources and buy a pretty dress that matches my boyfriend's tuxedo..." she said in a small voice and I smiled at her; it was quite sweet in a surprising sort of way. "You're going, aren't you? With Miley?"

I paused. "We haven't strictly planned anything but if she's back on the cheerleading squad... and since she _was_ head cheerleader, I guess she's kinda expected to go so I guess I would be going too,"

"And you're gonna have that special night with her and I'll just have to sit in an empty house watching whatever shit is on TV and then try not to cry when you show me the photos."

"Well, if I go, you can come with me; we'll go as friends?" I offered and made a mental note to talk to Oliver, to tell him how important this seemed to be to Mik.

"It's not the same..." she almost whined, frustrated. "He has to go on a business trip with his dad in Vermont. He doesn't even want to work at his dad's company; I don't see how his dad can make him go,"

Just then Miss Linley burst through the door, clearly in a very bad mood. I despised whatever had disrupted her mood as it meant I was now too scared of the consequences of talking to my hurt friend. There was very little I could do for her; I had offered for her to come with me and there didn't seem to be anything else I could possibly do. I didn't even know whether _I_ was going... I suppose I would have to ask Miley what was happening for the Endgame. Would she be required to be there because of her previous head cheerleader post? Or would it be Traci? Or would she back on the team in time for the Endgame dance... I guess we just had to wait and see on that part. Or would we even be safe to go with this whole hierarchy war thing? The dance wasn't far away; most of our year would have already found dresses and organised limousines etc and I didn't even know what was happening; it didn't leave much time for organising things if I did end up going.

Lunch came and went in an awkward silence; Mik wasn't talking to Oliver and Oliver couldn't think of what to say to Mik. Miley and I were so suffocated by the practically tangible awkwardness that we ate quickly in silence and left the dark haired couple alone. With several minutes left of lunch break, I decided to take this opportunity to go speak to Mrs Stevens about putting me back on the psychology course. Hand in hand we walked through the relatively empty corridors towards her office where I knew she would be; she brought her own lunch from home and ate in her office, something I'd noticed from the beginning of term. Miley told me she would wait outside for moral support and I knocked on the door.

"Yes?" came the voice from within; through the small window on the door I saw that she never looked up, her eyes on her computer screen and her lunch in front of her.

I opened the door and cleared my throat, nerves tingling in my stomach. Mrs Stevens could be a very scary woman and wasn't afraid to dish out punishments like there was no tomorrow. "I was hoping I could talk to you about psychology class,"

[Miley]

"Yes of course, what can I help wi-" Mrs Stevens said in a relatively cheerful way. There was a squeak of a chair then she paused abruptly mid-sentence. "Oh, it's you," I heard her continue with something akin to disgust in her voice. I felt anger bubble in my stomach knowing that it was aimed at the girl I loved; someone who was completely innocent in this affair and only guilty of having a prejudiced mother. None of this was her fault.

"You're no longer on the psychology course," Mrs Stevens continued, her voice monotone as it filtered through the slightly open doorway. "There's nothing I can help you with."

I heard Lilly take a deep breath and I wished I could see her face to better gauge her reactions and emotions. Was she upset? Angry? Both were perfectly understandable. But when she spoke, her voice was calm. "I was told by the woman in the office that I should come and see you," she began. "I haven't missed too many lessons and I've been studying my textbook. I wouldn't be surprised if I was ahead of the class."

"There's nothing I can do," came the simple statement. It infuriated me that she seemed so unconcerned with helping Lilly, that she could ignore it so easily.

"But my grades... surely they count for something? I'm a good student; A's and only a few B's." I could hear Lilly's desperation and anger mixing in her voice and I knew she was holding back on saying how she was incorrectly given those B's.

"Your grades are unimportant in this issue; there is nothing I can do."

"This is completely unfair," Lilly retaliated, her voice louder and more anger apparent in her voice. She was pleading with the psychology teacher now. "I did not willingly leave the class; I was forced to. It isn't my fault. Isn't there a department budget? Surely you can use that to put me back on the course? I'll even pay out of my own pocket if necessary." Here her voice grew more laboured not with anger but with a frustrated sadness: she was begging as if for her life and it broke my heart. "Please, I need this class,"

"There's nothing I can do," repeated Mrs Stevens, again with not once ounce of empathy in her voice. Lilly began to speak again but she was interrupted with a sharp tone. "Truscott, there is nothing I can do. Documents have been filled out and sent away." She spoke clearly and pointedly, as if to a child, as if she were so frustrated with explaining that she simply wanted the conversation to be over.

"Please, I'm begging you to help me in any way you can," Lilly pleaded; I heard her voice catch in her throat. My girl was on the verge of tears. How I managed to stay where I was and not rush to her is beyond me but I knew it would not help. I would offer to buy Lilly onto the course, bribe if necessary as I had plenty of money but apparently it was not a lack of funding that kept Lilly out of the class... what else could I do?

"Other than re-sitting the entire year; there's nothing I can suggest." Her voice was bored, her expression clearly wanting this conversation to end and for Lilly to leave.

There was a long pause and I resisted the urge to peer into the room. The silence evoked a deep curiosity within me; what was happening in there? Were they glaring at one another? Was Lilly crying? I heard my heart beat loudly in my ears as I strained to hear anything from inside the office. There was nothing except a silence within the room.

Then Lilly spoke, her voice calm but full of accusation and aggression; "What is it that you have against me?" There was a small pause; long enough to allow the question to hang oppressively in the room but short enough to keep it rhetorical. "If it were anyone else in this situation, you'd help them as much as you possibly could. They probably wouldn't have to even come see you like this; they'd already be sat in class, the problem long forgotten. Yet here I am; top of the class and having to beg. What possible reason is there that you treat me so differently? It's unfair and completely unprofessional."

"Leave my office; I do not appreciate being spoken to in that tone of voice,"

"And I don't appreciate being discriminated against for no apparent reason," she countered, her anger growing. Mrs Stevens began to retaliate but Lilly interjected her voice louder to make sure she was heard. "Don't worry, I'm leaving. But since I'm not in your class and apparently never will be, I would just like to say that this is complete _bullshit!_" And with emphasis on that final word, she slammed the office door behind her and stormed down the corridor.

There was no hesitation now as I automatically jogged after my girlfriend and grasped her fisted hand. She knew I heard every word. I followed her quick stride by her side, wondering how to word what I needed to say. She was clearly highly strung right now and I could see tears in her eyes as she continued to walk purposely down the corridor.

"What are you going to do?" I asked in a quiet and calm voice, hoping my tone would help somewhat.

"I'm going to fucking report her." she stated, still fuming. I understood why; I was angry at Mrs Stevens too for how she had treated Lilly, for how she always treated Lilly. It _was_ bullshit; Lilly was right despite the fact I didn't approve of swearing at a member of staff regardless of how relevant it may be.

"Are you sure that's wise?" I asked. "What if she's right about not being able to get you back on the course?"

"I just don't see how it can be so difficult to put _one _person back in _one _class and on the examination list or whatever the hell it is. It's not like the exam's tomorrow so why is it so fucking hard?" She showed little sign of calming down and I started to guide her a different way down the corridor; away from the principal's office where she presumably was heading to report Mrs Stevens.

"It must be complicated..." I offered with no clue as to whether it was or not and feeling completely useless.

"I just... ugh, why does life hate me? Why can't I just have a quite few weeks where nothing happens?"

"I know," I said and led her down another corridor. She seemed oblivious to the fact that I was guiding her. Her teeth were clenched and her hands were still in tight fists. I opened one of the doors and led her through into the bright daylight, hoping the fresh air would help calm her a little. She squinted against the sunlight, her thoughts apparently stalled as she seemed to recognize she'd been led outside without realising. I smiled at her cute confusion and pulled her into me, hoping that if I distracted her in this small window where she wasn't experiencing anger that I would be able to fix it somewhat.

"It's so hard..." she breathed into my neck, her own arms around my middle, holding me tightly. I ran my hand softly up and down her back and nodded. It was hard. Unfairly so and I couldn't do anything to change it. All I could do was hold her and hopefully help her into a better mood, one where she could somehow cope with these difficulties.

"Do you want me to take you home?" I asked. Lunch was almost over, lessons would begin again shortly. I didn't mind missing classes to get her home if that's what she wanted; she was more important.

"No, it's okay. I'll be alright," she said and reluctantly pulled away to smile at me, her eyes shimmering. "Thank you though,"

"You're most welcome," I smiled back and kissed her right in the middle of her forehead which made her screw up her nose and wrinkle her eyebrows. "You're so cute," I breathed at the expression which she adamantly shook her head at, the expression still on her face. "Mhm, you are. Undeniably cute," I told her with another kiss. A slight blush touched her cheeks and I hoped that I'd cheered her up enough to get her through the afternoon's classes.

-x-

School finally ended and I met Lilly by her locker which surprised her. She had expected to have to wait while I spoke to Amber (or be a bodyguard I suppose) but Amber had approached me last period saying that Traci had organised some meeting or other. She told me I was to talk to her tomorrow instead and I noted a slight hint of fear; what did Traci have over her? or over all of the cheerleaders that they had to sneak around to speak to me?

Mik was with her, her eyes on her multi-coloured checked Vans. I gently put my hand on Lilly's shoulder while she had her back turned to me, looking inside her locker. "Feeling better?" I asked the blonde and she nodded.

"I'm not," came Mik's voice from beside us. She now had her Ray Bans on her face while still inside the building. She still didn't look up from her shoes, one hand in her pocket and another clutching her car keys. "And he isn't getting a ride home from me," she said before nodding her goodbye and leaving.

"Erm... should we find Oliver and see if he needs a ride home?" I asked uncertainly.

"You do remember that there are only two seats in your Audi right?" she smirked.

"I know but I just feel bad,"

"Mik won't be able to ignore him too long and I'm sure he can get a ride from Harry or someone; he's only a twenty-minute walk away,"

I nodded then took her bag from her shoulder and slung it over my own. She protested but eventually gave up and I knew she secretly liked my gentlemanly manner of carrying her bags for her. Soon we were in my car and stood at a red light. "Want to have dinner at mine?"

"Is that you inviting me for dinner or inviting me to _make_ dinner?" she smirked.

"Well, I do love your food but I'm sure Maurice will be capable," I smiled back.

"I would be glad to join you," she told me as the light turned green and I stepped on the gas, heading home. It wasn't too much later that we entered the kitchen where Maurice gave Lilly a friendly hug in greeting. I smiled, the two of them got on so well.

"She's not cooking today Maurice," I laughed before he could drag her over to the stove. "She's a guest for dinner tonight. Come on Lilly," I said and stretched out my hand.

**AN: Review please? Again, sorry it took so long. And remember, this is just part one of this chapter; next chapter will reveal a little something-something and maybe involve a little something-something also :D**

**Stay tuned x**


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